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California becomes third US state to DECLARE EMERGENCY as monkeypox cases rise

California's declaration comes after Illinois and New York declared a public health emergency over the weekend

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency over the quickly growing monkeypox outbreak on August 1, Monday, becoming the third US state to do so. Newsom stated that the emergency declaration will enhance the state's vaccination efforts to fight the outbreak. As infections rise, demand for vaccines has outstripped supply. The increase in people seeking shots has made it difficult for staff at sexual health clinics and other locations to keep up, CNBC reported. 

California's declaration comes after Illinois declared a public health emergency earlier Monday. Last Friday, New York declared a state disaster emergency in response to the epidemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 6,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported in 48 states, including Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. Since health officials in Boston identified the first US case in May, the outbreak has expanded rapidly.

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California is mobilizing employees from its Emergency Medical Services to assist with vaccine administration. Newsom stated that the state is collaborating at all levels of government to slow the spread of the virus through testing, contract tracing, and community outreach. California, Illinois, and New York – the three largest cities in the country – have reported 47 percent of all confirmed monkeypox illnesses in the United States. With roughly 1,400 confirmed cases as of Monday, New York is the heart of the outbreak in the United States. 

The Office of the Governor of California shared the alert on Monkeypox on Twitter saying, "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."  

In addition, the Governor's Office of California informed its citizens about monkeypox and its precautions. They tweeted, "Monkeypox is spread by close personal contact with someone who has symptoms or by touching contaminated items." 

Children test positive for Monkeypox

As many as two children have tested positive for monkeypox in Indiana taking the total number of children with the disease in the US stands at 4. Due to patient privacy concerns, no additional information has been made available at this time, according to a statement issued by the Indiana Department of Health, ABC reported. “Like many other states, Indiana has seen an increase in monkeypox cases over the past month,” State Health Commissioner Dr Kris Box said in a statement. 

Although there is no information on the present status of the virus-positive youngsters in Indiana, both the children who have been diagnosed with monkeypox were said to be in good health. However, health professionals are concerned about how monkeypox can affect young children. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health notice over the weekend warning that preliminary research suggests that children younger than 8 years old may develop more severe illness if infected with monkeypox.