So far more than 1,300 people in Florida have tested positive for monkeypox with the majority of cases stemming from South Florida. The vast majority of infections are in men who have sex with men. As this global epidemic grows, vaccine supply remains limited.
In July, the World Health Organization declared the global monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. The White House has also declared a monkeypox public health emergency and states including California, New York and Illinois have declared states of emergency stemming from the outbreak.
The latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates Florida has the third highest number of confirmed monkeypox infections in the country. Despite this, Governor Ron DeSantis has signaled he has no intention of declaring a monkeypox state of emergency.
We’ll take a closer look in a conversation with Southwest Florida-based infectious disease specialist and CAN Community HealthMedical Director Dr. Douglas Brust.
