CA: New Mpox Cases Found in San Diego County As Infections Rise Across State

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Source: https://timesofsandiego.com/health/...diego-county-as-infections-rise-across-state/


New Mpox Cases Found in San Diego County As Infections Rise Across State
by Editor 2 hours ago

San Diego County on Thursday encouraged residents to be vaccinated for Mpox, with 11 new cases recorded by public health officials so far this month.

As of Saturday, the total number of cases in the county stands at 492 since cases first emerged in July 2022. The local rise in cases mirrored increases across the state.​..




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Source: https://www.kpbs.org/news/health/2023/11/22/uptick-in-mpox-cases-raises-concerns-in-san-diego-county


Uptick in mpox cases raises concerns in San Diego County
By Matt Hoffman / Health Reporter
Published November 22, 2023 at 5:48 PM PST​



San Diego County has witnessed a rise in mpox cases after experiencing a lull in reports for the majority of 2023.
Why it matters

Health officials attribute this surge to low vaccination rates and changing perceptions of the threat posed by mpox.

San Diego physician Dr. Carlton Thomas, who has gone viral on social media for his updates on mpox, works with federal health officials on vaccine messaging.

"I think that people get a little bit — it’s kind of like with COVID fatigue — everybody got tired of it after a while, and when mpox kind of died down people forgot about it," he said "And so if they weren't vaccinated they didn't get vaccinated, so they didn't think there was a threat anymore but it still does linger out there"

Dr. Winston Tilghman, medical director for the county’s HIV/STD/Hepatitis branch, said mpox can impact anyone, but the majority of cases have affected gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.

"We’re continuing to work with our community partners in the LGBTQIA sector to increase awareness that mpox is still an issue that people need to be aware of and the importance of vaccination, which remains our best tool for preventing mpox," he said.

By the numbers

According to health reports, San Diego County observed merely two to three mpox cases per week for most of the year until October. However, the recent surge has led to the reporting of 32 cases since Oct. 1.
Tilghman said 16,000 San Diegans have gotten at least one vaccine. It’s a two dose series. He said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention modeling estimates the local at-risk population to be about 55% vaccinated.​..