Monkeypox cases in Georgia continue climbing as state distributes limited vaccines

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - The number of cases of monkeypox in Georgia continue to climb as the state works to distribute its limited number of vaccines. 

As of Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 158 cases of monkeypox in Georgia - an increase of over 60 new cases since last Friday.

The Peach State is now the fifth-highest in the number of positive cases in the country behind New York, California, Illinois, and Florida. Nationwide, the CDC reports 2,323 total cases of monkeypox/orthopoxvirus.

GEORGIA NOW HAS 158 MONKEYPOX CASES, THE FIFTH-HIGHEST NUMBER IN THE COUNTRY

Empty ampoules containing Bavarian Nordic's monkeypox vaccine (Imvanex / Jynneos) stand in a box on a table. (Photo by Sven Hoppe/picture alliance via Getty Images)

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, most cases of the virus have been found in men in the metro Atlanta area who have sex with men.

Fulton County is one of the five metro Atlanta counties that Georgia health officials have prioritized for distribution of the JYNNEOS vaccine. The county will be hosting two vaccination clinics Thursday and July 26, but registration for both has already filled up due to extremely limited supply.

The first case of the virus in Georgia was confirmed in early June. 

What is monkeypox?

Most monkeypox patients experience only fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. People with more serious illness may develop a rash and lesions on the face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body. 

MONKEYPOX: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW AS THE DISEASE SPREADS AROUND THE WORLD

The disease is endemic in parts of Africa, where people have been infected through bites from rodents or small animals. It does not usually spread easily among people.

Last month, cases began emerging in Europe and the United States. Many — but not all — of those who contracted the virus had traveled internationally. Most were men who have sex with men, but health officials stress that anyone can get monkeypox.

Case counts have continued to grow. As of Tuesday, the U.S. had identified 306 cases in 27 states and the District of Columbia. More than 4,700 cases have been found in more than 40 other countries outside the areas of Africa where the virus is endemic.

There have been no U.S. deaths and officials say the risk to the American public is low. But they are taking steps to assure people that medical measures are in place to deal with the growing problem.

A two-dose vaccine, Jynneos, is approved for monkeypox in the U.S. The government has many more doses of an older smallpox vaccine — ACAM2000 — that they say could also be used, but that vaccine is considered to have a greater risk of side effects and is not recommended for people who have HIV. So it’s the Jynneos vaccine that officials have been trying to use as a primary weapon against the monkeypox outbreak.

So far, the government has deployed thousands doses of vaccine. In June U.S. officials said they are increasing the amount of Jynneos vaccine they are making available, allocating 56,000 doses immediately and about 240,000 more over the coming weeks. There also are about 800,000 doses in Denmark that will come to the U.S. soon. And the government this month announced orders of 5 million more doses, though most of those are not expected to arrive until next year.

"We will continue to take aggressive action against this virus," said Dr. Ashish Jha, White House COVID-19 response coordinator, who has also been playing a role in how the government deals with monkeypox.

The administration said it was expanding the pool of people who are advised to get vaccinated to include those who may realize on their own that they could have been infected. That includes men who who have recently had sex with men at parties or in other gatherings in cities where monkeypox cases have been identified.

Anyone with a rash that looks like monkeypox should talk to their healthcare provider, even if you do not believe you have had contact with anyone who has contracted the virus. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.