UPDATED: Monkeypox Cases Spread To Hoboken, Mayor Says

HOBOKEN, NJ — There were 243 cases of monkeypox confirmed in New Jersey as of Monday, up from 214 on Friday. Hudson County has the most cases statewide — and on Sunday night, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla said in an update for residents that there are "some" cases in Hoboken.

When asked for numbers, city spokesperson Marilyn Baer said Tuesday, "Due to patient protection laws and guidance issued by the New Jersey Department of Health, the city is not currently in a position to disclose how many residents have been diagnosed with monkeypox as the number of individuals diagnosed is so few that the individuals could be identified."

As of Monday, Hudson County had the highest number of cases in the state, 73, up from 67 Friday.

In New Jersey, Essex County was the county with the second most cases as of Monday — 50, up from 45 on Friday.

Last month, the mayor noted that with Manhattan just across the river, numbers could rise locally. New York City reported 1,558 cases as of Wednesday.

Mayor Bhalla said in an update Sunday night, "The Hoboken Health Department has confirmed some cases of monkeypox in Hoboken. The Hoboken Health Department has been in contact with their close contacts and provided guidance on self-isolation."

Track the case numbers by county here.

Still Spreading Slowly

For perspective, unlike COVID, which spread quickly and killed 460 New Jersey residents in just one day in April 2020, health experts have said that monkeypox is rarely fatal. No deaths have been announced in the state since the first case was reported publicly in Jersey City on June 20.

However, the virus can cause swollen lymph nodes and a rash that often begins on the face and spreads to other parts of the body. Health officials are hoping to keep symptoms mild and contain the virus.

Monkeypox is usually spread by "close contact" with an infected person.

Vaccine Information And Locations

The state announced late last month that it has expanded vaccine eligibility to include:

• Individuals that attended an event where known monkeypox exposure occurred
• Individuals that identify as gay, bisexual, or men who have sex with men, and/or transgender, gender non-conforming, or non-binary and who have a history of multiple or anonymous sex partners within the past 14 days

Find out more about the vaccine and eligibility in New Jersey here.

North Jersey vaccine centers include, by appointment:

• Hyacinth AIDS Foundation/Project Living Out Loud! (Jersey City): 201-706-3480
• North Jersey Community Research Initiative (Newark): 973-483-3444, ext. 200
• Bergen New Bridge Medical Center: Annex 2 (white tent structure), 230 East Ridgewood Ave, Paramus Phone: 800-730-2762 Website: www.newbridgehealth.org

States With The Most Cases

See which states have the most cases with this CDC graphic.

Get the current case count and see information about the virus in New Jersey by clicking here.

Find out about the vaccine and eligibility in New Jersey here.