What to know as mpox cases rise in New York
The mpox vaccine is displayed by a Northwell Health staff member at Cherry Grove on Fire Island in 2022. Credit: James Carbone
New York is seeing more cases of mpox, two years after an outbreak took hold largely among gay and bisexual men, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
New York City alone had 258 probable and confirmed cases of the virus formerly known as monkeypox, up from 55 in 2023, according to the CDC's data, which spanned through the week ending June 15. The rest of the state in the same period had roughly 30 cases this year, up from 9 at the same time in 2023.
The Nassau and Suffolk health departments both said this week that they have not seen an uptick in mpox rates. And the recent figures are a far cry from the thousands of people in New York who contracted the virus in 2022. Most of New York's cases that year came out of the city as well.
Still, in light of the recent growth in mpox cases, health care providers are urging awareness and vaccination for people at risk, those with weaker immune systems and men who have sex with men.
“While the overall number of mpox cases in New York State remains low, we have seen a recent increase in cases, so it’s important for people to remember it’s still with us,” Cadence Acquaviva, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Health, said in a statement.
Along with the two-dose JYNNEOS vaccine for certain groups, the department is also urging people to avoid skin contact with people with a rash and encouraging them to have conversations with sexual partners who are showing mpox symptoms.
Mpox is in the same family of virus as smallpox, though most infections are not deadly, according to the state Department of Health. Symptoms of mpox can include a rash, fever and fatigue. In addition to close and/or sexual contact, mpox can spread through touching contaminated fabrics, saliva and sores, the Health Department said.
On Long Island, Suffolk officials and Northwell Health are partnering to provide the mpox vaccine on Fire Island at the Northwell Health Physician Partners Immediate Care at Cherry Grove on July 13.
Suffolk County Immunization Action Program clinics are also offering the vaccine by appointment, health officials say. The Edie Windsor Healthcare Center in Hampton Bays is providing mpox vaccinations with an appointment, as well.
The Nassau County government website offers numbers to call for vaccination appointments and the CDC has a vaccine locator, as well.
The recent increase in New York cases comes as the Democratic Republic of the Congo has seen a high number of mpox cases, though the risk of getting the type of virus spreading in the African country in the U.S. remains low, the CDC said.
Mpox has different genetic subtypes called clades, according to a health advisory from the CDC. Clade I, associated with easier transmission and more severe cases, is circulating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Suspected mpox cases in the Congo have grown to over 20,000 since 2023, the CDC said.
Clade II, which is the less severe of the two, is associated with the global outbreak in 2022, the advisory said.
Dr. Sharon Nachman, the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases chief at Stony Brook Medicine, said the New York uptick could be linked to waning immunity after the vaccination campaign during the 2022 surge.
“Part of the story is that, yes, maybe we are seeing more cases, and the other part is that we may be seeing them also in populations that were vaccinated, but the vaccination has some waning immunity,” she said.
“So, they are getting some skin lesions,” she said, “but not getting the degree of illness that they would have gotten without the vaccine.”
Dr. Joseph McGowan of Northwell Health said there might be a level of complacency because mpox is not as prominently discussed today as it had been in 2022.
“People aren't as concerned about it because they don't see the cases the way they were a couple years ago,” said McGowan, medical director of the Center for AIDS Research and Treatment at North Shore University Hospital. “So, there's a bit of complacency.”
Still, physicians say that anyone who develops skin lesions associated with mpox should seek medical attention and get tested. Rashes and sores associated with mpox can start out looking like pimples or blisters and become painful, according to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Juli Grey-Owens, executive director of the Huntington Station-based Gender Equality New York, said there is work to be done to build awareness around mpox.
People need to have the knowledge to understand the “personal steps to make sure they don’t spread the disease,” she said.
During the 2022 outbreak, staff at Thursday’s Child — an HIV/AIDS supportive service agency based in Patchogue, were vaccinated and did several outreach efforts. Mpox can cause severe illness and even death in people living with conditions such as HIV, according to the state Department of Health.
Kerry Thomas, executive director at Thursday’s Child, said building awareness ensures that people can make an informed decision about their health.
“That comes down to having the information, holding space to support someone, so that they can make that decision, and knowing where to go for those services,” Thomas said.
New York is seeing more cases of mpox, two years after an outbreak took hold largely among gay and bisexual men, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
New York City alone had 258 probable and confirmed cases of the virus formerly known as monkeypox, up from 55 in 2023, according to the CDC's data, which spanned through the week ending June 15. The rest of the state in the same period had roughly 30 cases this year, up from 9 at the same time in 2023.
The Nassau and Suffolk health departments both said this week that they have not seen an uptick in mpox rates. And the recent figures are a far cry from the thousands of people in New York who contracted the virus in 2022. Most of New York's cases that year came out of the city as well.
Still, in light of the recent growth in mpox cases, health care providers are urging awareness and vaccination for people at risk, those with weaker immune systems and men who have sex with men.
WHAT TO KNOW
- After a 2022 mpox outbreak took hold largely among gay and bisexual men, New York is seeing more cases of the virus formerly called monkeypox.
- The Nassau and Suffolk health departments both said this week that they have not seen an uptick in mpox cases. And the recent figures are a far cry from the thousands of people in New York who contracted the virus in 2022.
- Still, in light of mpox’s continued circulation, health care providers are urging awareness and vaccination for people who are at risk, including men who have sex with men and those with weakened immune systems.
“While the overall number of mpox cases in New York State remains low, we have seen a recent increase in cases, so it’s important for people to remember it’s still with us,” Cadence Acquaviva, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Health, said in a statement.
Along with the two-dose JYNNEOS vaccine for certain groups, the department is also urging people to avoid skin contact with people with a rash and encouraging them to have conversations with sexual partners who are showing mpox symptoms.
Mpox is in the same family of virus as smallpox, though most infections are not deadly, according to the state Department of Health. Symptoms of mpox can include a rash, fever and fatigue. In addition to close and/or sexual contact, mpox can spread through touching contaminated fabrics, saliva and sores, the Health Department said.
On Long Island, Suffolk officials and Northwell Health are partnering to provide the mpox vaccine on Fire Island at the Northwell Health Physician Partners Immediate Care at Cherry Grove on July 13.
Suffolk County Immunization Action Program clinics are also offering the vaccine by appointment, health officials say. The Edie Windsor Healthcare Center in Hampton Bays is providing mpox vaccinations with an appointment, as well.
The Nassau County government website offers numbers to call for vaccination appointments and the CDC has a vaccine locator, as well.
The recent increase in New York cases comes as the Democratic Republic of the Congo has seen a high number of mpox cases, though the risk of getting the type of virus spreading in the African country in the U.S. remains low, the CDC said.
Mpox has different genetic subtypes called clades, according to a health advisory from the CDC. Clade I, associated with easier transmission and more severe cases, is circulating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Suspected mpox cases in the Congo have grown to over 20,000 since 2023, the CDC said.
Clade II, which is the less severe of the two, is associated with the global outbreak in 2022, the advisory said.
Dr. Sharon Nachman, the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases chief at Stony Brook Medicine, said the New York uptick could be linked to waning immunity after the vaccination campaign during the 2022 surge.
“Part of the story is that, yes, maybe we are seeing more cases, and the other part is that we may be seeing them also in populations that were vaccinated, but the vaccination has some waning immunity,” she said.
“So, they are getting some skin lesions,” she said, “but not getting the degree of illness that they would have gotten without the vaccine.”
Dr. Joseph McGowan of Northwell Health said there might be a level of complacency because mpox is not as prominently discussed today as it had been in 2022.
“People aren't as concerned about it because they don't see the cases the way they were a couple years ago,” said McGowan, medical director of the Center for AIDS Research and Treatment at North Shore University Hospital. “So, there's a bit of complacency.”
Still, physicians say that anyone who develops skin lesions associated with mpox should seek medical attention and get tested. Rashes and sores associated with mpox can start out looking like pimples or blisters and become painful, according to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Juli Grey-Owens, executive director of the Huntington Station-based Gender Equality New York, said there is work to be done to build awareness around mpox.
People need to have the knowledge to understand the “personal steps to make sure they don’t spread the disease,” she said.
During the 2022 outbreak, staff at Thursday’s Child — an HIV/AIDS supportive service agency based in Patchogue, were vaccinated and did several outreach efforts. Mpox can cause severe illness and even death in people living with conditions such as HIV, according to the state Department of Health.
Kerry Thomas, executive director at Thursday’s Child, said building awareness ensures that people can make an informed decision about their health.
“That comes down to having the information, holding space to support someone, so that they can make that decision, and knowing where to go for those services,” Thomas said.
Education: Howard University
Tiffany Cusaac-Smith came to Newsday in 2023 after being a race and history reporter at USA TODAY, where she wrote enterprise and spot articles examining how the past shapes the present. Previously, she worked as the race and justice reporter at the USA TODAY Network of New York, covering issues such as criminal justice reform, housing, environmental justice, health care and politics. At The Journal News/lohud.com in Westchester County, she covered Yonkers, the state's third-largest city. She also worked at The Associated Press in Atlanta.
Honors and Awards: Criminal justice reporting fellowship with the National Press Foundation; New York News Publishers Association award for distinguished investigative reporting; Contributed reporting for Best of Gannett honor; Member of Table Stakes, a program funded by the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund and managed by the American Press Institute to transform local news.
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