DPH urges people not to panic about monkeypox as case count hits 12 – Eyewitness News 3

July 15, 2022 Kim Martel

(WFSB) – Connecticut health officials reported 12 cases of monkeypox in the state.

The Department of Public Health said it has been seeing trends among men in their 20s, and in Fairfield County.

The most important thing the state wanted to share during a news conference on Friday was no to panic. Out of the 12 cases, only two people were in the hospital.

The state Department of Public Health spoke about Connecticut’s uptick in monkeypox cases during a news conference on July 15.

However, the state said it will be keeping an eye on the situation.

Neighboring states New York and Massachusetts had a big surge this week.

Friday, the DPH revealed specific trends about the disease, and which communities it’s been effecting the most.

“Anybody could get monkeypox,” said Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner, DPH.

Juthani explained the trends.

“Current cases are currently spreading in social networks of gay, bisexual and other men who are having sex with men,” she said.

Overnight the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the twelfth monkeypox case in Connecticut.

Juthani confirmed that all 12 people are between their 20s and 50s, but cases were trending towards younger adults.

They were all in New Haven, Fairfield and Hartford counties.

Since there was a surge in in cases in New York, Fairfield County was expected to see a domino effect.

“The general risk to the overall population is low at this time,” Juthani said.

Monkeypox spreads through close physical contact.

People can get it from direct exposure to bodily fluids like saliva.

The virus causes a rash and possibly lesions.

One patient described his experience with it.

“They were at worst, on more sensitive skin, excruciatingly painful,” said Matt Ford

Because of Connecticut’s low case count, the state has not received a large batch of the monkeypox vaccine.

As of Friday morning, it had around 600 doses of the two-dose vaccine.

Another 400 or so were expected in a few weeks.

“This is not an infection that I think the general population should be scared about,” Juthani said. “However, be alert, aware, [and] listen to what we’re saying and see how this infection may evolve.”

Doctors said that normally symptoms pop up within a week of transmission but could take as long as 3 weeks.

Juthani said the average recovery time is 2 to 4 weeks.