Amid HIV Cases, Coachella Valley Pleads For Monkeypox Vaccines

COACHELLA VALLEY, CA — As monkeypox cases rise across eastern Riverside County, Coachella Valley officials are urging state and federal health officials to send more vaccines to the region.

Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Palm Desert, has asked the state of California to allocate additional doses of monkeypox vaccines to the Coachella Valley, citing high-risk factors, including a disproportionately high immunocompromised population — largely due to the region's HIV-positivity rate.

Ruiz, who is a medical doctor, claims that "California's vaccine distribution strategy continues to overlook the Palm Springs area."

Ruiz reiterated his plea in a Monday tweet.

"Right now, my constituents at the highest risk of monkeypox contraction are unable to receive necessary vaccines to protect themselves and our communities. That's why, as a doctor, I'm calling on state officials to prioritize our region and allocate additional vaccines," Ruiz said.

According to California AIDS/HIV Policy Research Centers, the number of people living with HIV in Riverside County is 9,468. Figures released by RUHS show the number at 10,337 for 2020, with the majority of cases in the Coachella Valley.

The city of Palm Springs is also pushing for action. Last week, Mayor Lisa Middleton sent a letter to Thomas Aragon, director of the California Department of Public Health, requesting that the CDPH and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention accelerate the purchase of the vaccine and prioritize distribution first to communities already experiencing a high rate of incidents and second to communities with populations more likely to contract the disease.

“It is imperative that the CDC and the CDPC work quickly to make these and any other necessary adjustments to better meet the demand for vaccines and ensure the threat of monkeypox is mitigated in our communities,” Middleton said.

The number of confirmed monkeypox cases in Riverside County rose to three, while probable cases rose to 10, under updated numbers released Monday.

Jose Arballo, spokesman for Riverside University Health System, said all of the cases are in men, described only as between 30 and 60 years old, all in eastern Riverside County.

He told City News Service that county health officials have distributed 116 doses of monkeypox vaccines to DAP Health, Eisenhower Health, Borrego Health and RUHS' HIV clinic in the Coachella Valley from the county's limited supply.

He added that the county had a little more than 1,000 doses of the two-dose-regimen JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine, enough for about 500 people, before they were distributed into the Coachella Valley.

Shane Reichardt, a spokeswoman for RUHS, said the county has not received additional vaccine doses since July 19.

"We are currently working with our state partners on new shipments but the supply is still very limited," he said.

Supplies of the vaccine are distributed in California on a population-based formula and are extremely limited, according to Palm Springs city officials.

To get more insight on local infections, the city of Palm Springs is working with GT Molecular to develop a process for testing local wastewater for monkeypox infections similar to the COVID-19 testing program currently underway.

“Our number one priority is ensuring the health and safety of our residents and visitors,” Middleton said. “We will do whatever we can to partner with scientists and healthcare professionals to ensure Palm Springs has the best data available to help keep our community safe.”