Local Transmission of Monkeypox Found In Los Angeles County

LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles County has confirmed the local spread of monkeypox, health officials announced.

Unlike the earliest patients, some recently identified monkeypox patients in Los Angeles County have no history of travel to account for their infections. Authorities said some of the patients may have attended large events that may have spread the illness. However, health officials declined to identify the events where the transmission may have occurred.

Instead, health officials said they are working with organizers of the unspecified events to notify people of possible exposures.

Los Angeles County has had 22 cases of monkeypox. There have been no hospitalizations or deaths associated with monkeypox in Los Angeles County

"Anyone can get and spread monkeypox, but some of the recent cases identified have been among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men who attended large events where the exposure to monkeypox may have occurred," Los Angeles County Department of Public Health officials said in a written statement. "Public Health is working with event organizers to notify attendees of potential exposure."

The county's approach, thus far, is to offer the monkeypox vaccine in a targeted manner as opposed to widespread vaccination.

"While supplies of monkeypox vaccine are limited, Public Health is offering the JYNNEOS vaccine in a targeted manner to reach individuals at higher risk of monkeypox," according to the agency. "This includes people who are known close contacts to someone diagnosed with monkeypox and individuals who attended an event where they may have had skin-to-skin contact with someone who later tested positive for monkeypox virus. The vaccine is being used in these cases to reduce the risk of developing monkeypox."

Health officials said the infection spreads through contact with bodily fluids, monkeypox sores or shared items such as bedding or clothing that were contaminated with fluids. It can also be transmitted through saliva and sexual contact.

Most people who develop monkeypox have only mild illness that goes away within two to four weeks without treatment.

People with symptoms are urged to visit a medical provider, cover the rash area with clothing, wear a mask and avoid close or skin-to-skin contact with others.

The CDC particularly recommends those steps for people who recently traveled to an area where monkeypox cases have been reported, or who have had contact with a confirmed or suspected monkeypox cases. A full list of countries that have confirmed monkeypox cases is available at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/alert/monkeypox.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.