83 cases of Monkeypox reported in Houston area, health officials seeking more vaccines
HOUSTON - The Houston-Harris County region has verified 83 cases of Monkeypox in the area. As cases continue to climb, health officials are asking for more vaccines from the CDC.
As of Friday, there are 67 confirmed cases in Houston, and 16 from incorporated Harris County.
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County Judge Lina Hidalgo says the area has been allocated 16,780 more Monkeypox vaccines, which will be arriving in three waves.
"Harris County Public Health is actively providing information to those who meet the criteria to receive the Monkeypox vaccine," says Ericka Brown, Harris County Public Health.
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Brown says those who are high risk will be top priority. Group A will include people who have been confirmed by public health to have had high or intermediate risk, along with those who have attended an event where there was a high risk of exposure.
"Individuals who were diagnosed with gonorrhea or syphilis; those who are on prep HIV pre-exposure; those who have worked at a commercial sex venue," says Brown.
"But I think we need to empathize that not everybody is at high risk," says Catherine Troisi, PhD, UTHealth Houston. "You aren’t going to catch the virus from being around people at the grocery store or in a restaurant."
Troisi says that unfortunately, the virus has found a way to spread.
"What we think happened, unfortunately, somebody infected had sexual contact with other men," says Troisi. "The virus is not spread sexually, but if you’re having sex you’re probably having skin-to-skin contact."
RELATED: Monkeypox hotline created as cases continue to rise across Houston-area
The vaccine is not recommended for anyone under the age of 18. Anyone who fits the criteria listed can call (832) 927-0707.