Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency over the monkeypox virus outbreak Monday.
Newsom made the announcement in order to bolster monkeypox vaccination uptake, particularly among at-risk citizens in the state, according to a press release from the Office of the Governor of California.
Most of the cases identified in the state have been found in the major cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, according to the Washington Post. The latter city declared a local public health emergency July 28 in response to the virus.
The governor’s state of emergency proclamation outlines the outbreak from its onset, referring to the first confirmed case in the U.S. found May 20 in Massachusetts and the rise of cases in California since then. There are more than 4,000 known cases in the country, with nearly 800 found in California alone, according to the state of emergency proclamation. (RELATED: San Francisco Hosted Kink Fest Despite Obvious Monkeypox Risk)
“We’ll continue to work with the federal government to secure more vaccines, raise awareness about reducing risk, and stand with the LGBTQ community fighting stigmatization,” Newsom said in the announcement.
To support CA’s monkeypox vaccine efforts, we have declared a state of emergency. We’re working to ensure those most at-risk are the focus for vaccination & treatment. We’ll continue to work with @WhiteHouse & stand with LGBTQ communities fighting stigmas.https://t.co/XtyE54QOou
— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) August 2, 2022
California joined Illinois in declaring a state of emergency for the outbreak, the Washington Post reported. Another state, New York, issued a public health emergency.
There is a limited supply of the JYNNEOS vaccine from the federal government, prompting outreach programs to ensure that at-risk groups are getting the resources and information they need, according to the official emergency statement.
Although monkeypox has rarely proven to be fatal, there have been reports of horrific pain from rashes resulting from the virus, according to CNBC.