Health officials report rise in mpox cases in LA County, encourage vaccinations

FILE – This undated image provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases shows a colorized transmission electron micrograph of mpox particles. (NIAID via AP, File)

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County has seen a sudden spike in local mpox infections, health officials said Tuesday as they urged people in high-risk groups to get vaccinated.

According to the county Department of Public Health, 52 mpox cases were reported in the county over the past four weeks, more than double the 24 that were reported in the previous four-week period. Health officials said about 70 percent of the latest cases were in unvaccinated people.

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Health officials encouraged vaccinations for people at higher risk of infection:

— men or transgender people who have sex with men or transgender people;
— people of any gender or sexual orientation who have sex or intimate physical contact with others in association with a large public event or engage in commercial and/or transactional sex;
— people with HIV, especially those with uncontrolled or advanced HIV disease; and
— sexual partners of people in any of the above groups.

The mpox vaccine is a two-dose series, available at pharmacies for people with insurance. Vaccines may also be available through health care providers.

County health clinics offer free mpox vaccines without appointments. A list of clinics is available here.

A list of Public Health, pharmacy, and other sites offering the vaccine is available here.

Mpox, also known as monkeypox, was first identified by scientists in 1958 when there were outbreaks of a “pox-like” disease in monkeys. Until recently, most human cases were seen in people in central and West Africa who had close contact with infected animals.

In 2022, the virus was confirmed to spread via sex for the first time and triggered outbreaks in more than 70 countries across the world that had not previously reported mpox.

Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes milder symptoms like fever, chills and body aches. People with more serious cases can develop lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals.

The World Health Organization declared last month that the increasing spread of mpox in Africa is a global health emergency, warning the virus might ultimately spill across international borders.

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