Monkeypox Has Officially Been Reported in All 50 States

The monkeypox outbreak in the U.S. has caused concern for many, especially for those who are looking to travel soon but are not sure whether it’s safe.

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has declared the outbreak a public health emergency, and the government is working on getting more vaccines available throughout the country. The number of infected individuals has continued to rise, and now there have been cases of monkeypox reported in every state.

According to ABC News, monkeypox has officially been detected in every state in the U.S. Wyoming was the last state to report a case, and they did so on Monday, August 22nd. A Wyoming Health Department officer stated, “Because monkeypox spreads through close, intimate contact we do not believe the risk for the virus is now a higher concern for the local community or for most people in Wyoming. Monkeypox does not spread easily like familiar viruses such as influenza or COVID-19.”

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The monkeypox outbreak in the U.S. began in Massachusetts in mid-May. Since then, about 14,000 infections have been reported. Currently, New York has the most infections, followed by California and then Florida.

The number of cases reported each day has grown significantly from “97 per day one month ago to more than 1,300 per day as of Aug. 10.” Although most cases have occurred among men who have sex with men, monkeypox is not considered a sexually transmitted disease because anyone can be infected by having close contact with someone who is infected.

Monkeypox Symptoms ©Florida Department of Health

The CDC says that most transmission has not occurred by touching the clothes or sheets of an infected person.

If anyone has been exposed to monkeypox or thinks they may have been exposed, they can get the Jynneos vaccine (which has been approved by the FDA for smallpox and monkeypox).

©Getty Images via ABC News

ClickOrlando reported that Florida has had over 1,500 cases of monkeypox in the state, with about 115 cases in Orange County. The state is following CDC guidelines to prioritize the vaccine for those who have been or may have been exposed to monkeypox.

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The CDC advises the following to lower your risk of becoming infected:

Avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like monkeypox.
Do not touch the rash or scabs of a person with monkeypox.
Do not kiss, hug, cuddle or have sex with someone with monkeypox.
Avoid contact with objects and materials that a person with monkeypox has used.
Do not share eating utensils or cups with a person with monkeypox.
Do not handle or touch the bedding, towels, or clothing of a person with monkeypox.
Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially before eating or touching your face and after you use the bathroom.

Also, you should keep a fair perspective of the outbreak. Although there has been a definite increase in infections, there have been 0 deaths in the U.S. from Monkeypox so far as a result of the current outbreak, according to the CDC.

We’ll continue to watch for more updates on the situation with monkeypox, especially as it relates to travel and Disney World. Keep following DFB for the latest news.