The monkeypox virus has spread to dozens of countries and infected more than 44,000 people worldwide since the outbreak began in May. Nearly 16,000 of those infections have occurred in the United States, and 23 cases have been identified in Mississippi as of Aug. 25. Dr. Paul Byers, state epidemiologist, answered some of the most common questions about the disease for Mississippi Today.

Monkeypox was discovered in 1958. Cases usually occur in areas of West and Central Africa where monkeypox is endemic.  Cases have occurred outside of these countries before but have been associated with travel to or exposure to someone who’s been in these endemic countries. In the current outbreak in the U.S. and worldwide, person-to-person transmission is occurring in countries that don’t normally report monkeypox.

Monkeypox is part of the variola virus family, the virus that causes smallpox. This a naturally occurring virus. 

Monkeypox is spread through close personal, often skin-to-skin contact, including direct contact with the body fluids of an infected person, their rash, scabs, or contact with respiratory secretions. Direct contact can include sexual contact, hugging or kissing, or prolonged face-to-face contact. Monkeypox can also be contracted by touching objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding or towels), and surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox.

Anyone who engages in close personal or physical contact with an infected person is at risk for contracting monkeypox.

Monkeypox is a virus closely related to smallpox, but not as severe and fatalities are rare. People with certain underlying medical conditions may be at higher risk for severe infections. People with monkeypox develop a rash that may be located on the face, hands, feet, legs, genitals or other areas. Sometimes, people have flu-like symptoms before the rash. Some people get a rash first, followed by other symptoms. Others only experience a rash.

Monkeypox symptoms usually start within 3 weeks of exposure to the virus. If someone has flu-like symptoms, they will usually develop a rash 1-4 days later.

Adults 18 and older are eligible for the vaccine if:

• They have been in close physical contact (including household or sexual contact) with someone diagnosed with monkeypox,
•  Or they identify as gay, bisexual, or as other men who have sex with men, or as a transgender individual, and they report:

•  Or having multiple or anonymous sex partners,

• Or having attended an event or venue where monkeypox may have been transmitted (for instance, by sex or skin-to-skin contact).

Individuals interested in monkeypox vaccine who meet the eligibility criteria are encouraged to call the Monkeypox Call Center at 1-877-978-6453 to determine their eligibility and a make vaccination appointment.

There is an antiviral medication, TPOXX, available for individuals with severe disease or who are at higher risk for severe disease. 

Those who are at risk for monkeypox have been in close physical contact (including household or sexual contact) with someone diagnosed with monkeypox.  To date, most of the cases have occurred among individuals who identify as gay, bisexual, other men who have sex with men or in transgender individuals. But anyone exposed to monkeypox is at risk for infection.  

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The Mississippi State Department of Health will host a monkeypox vaccination clinic on Friday inside the Jackson Medical Mall from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Due to the limited supply, the vaccine has only been available to Mississippians aged 18 and older who have had close, intimate contact with an infected person or who are a member of the LBBTQ+ community at high risk for infection. 

Mississippi’s initial allotment of the Jynneos monkeypox vaccine included enough doses to inoculate 300 people. The department still does not know how many more doses the state will receive through the rest of the year.

Individuals interested in receiving the monkeypox vaccine are encouraged to call the health department at 1-877-978-6453 to verify their eligibility and make a vaccination appointment, though walk-ins are welcome. 

Monkeypox vaccinations are also available by appointment at the health department locations in Lee, Panola, Leflore, Lowndes, Lauderdale, Adams, Hinds, Forrest and Harrison counties. 

“If you are at risk for monkeypox, you can help prevent infection by avoiding close skin-to-skin or intimate contact with people who may be infected, and you should be vaccinated if you are eligible,” the health department said in a press release. “If you develop a new or unexplained rash, especially if you have been in close contact with someone who has monkeypox, isolate at home and contact your healthcare provider for testing.”

The monkeypox virus has spread to dozens of countries and infected more than 44,000 people worldwide since the outbreak began in May. Nearly 16,000 of those infections have occurred in the United States, and 21 cases have been identified in Mississippi.

Monkeypox, which is part of the same family of viruses as smallpox, produces many painful symptoms, but deaths from the disease are rare.

Symptoms of monkeypox can include: Fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion. Infected people often experience a rash that looks like pimples, or blisters that appear on many parts of the body. The illness typically lasts for two to four weeks.

The Biden administration declared the monkeypox outbreak a national health emergency on Aug. 4. The World Health Organization declared monkeypox a global public health emergency on July 23, the first time it has taken this step since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. Monkeypox, COVID-19 and polio are the only diseases that have this designation.

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Greenwood Leflore Hospital is reopening some of its inpatient operations as of Wednesday, but its intensive care unit remains closed. 

The 208-bed hospital suspended inpatient services last week following a sewage leak that caused patients to be transferred to other facilities and clinics to be shut down for three days. 

Twelve of the hospital’s medical and surgical beds will be reopened. They will be utilized by post-surgery patients, medical admissions and patients who require less than 24 hours of medical supervision. 

Hospital officials said that the beds will be staffed by employees of the hospital, not contract laborers. 

“The hospital has committed to continuing service availability without the use of contract labor,” hospital officials said in a press release. 

The hospital is continuing to analyze inpatient services it has closed, including its intensive care unit. Its labor and delivery unit is currently staffed at the minimum level required by federal law for providing emergency medical treatment. 

“This analysis was required to determine, with labor shortages and higher labor costs, how the hospital can continue to operate inpatient services while covering the cost of providing those services,” the press release stated.

The hospital, which is jointly owned by Leflore County and the city of Greenwood, laid off 30 people in May to offset losses during the pandemic. It announced in June that it is in talks with the University of Mississippi Medical Center on a joint operation agreement. 

Hospital officials have not answered questions about the number of employees affected by the changes in services. 

Last week, clogged manholes forced sewage into the crawl space below the hospital. As a result, at least 17 patients were transferred to six other hospitals across Mississippi and one hospital in Arkansas. At least 16 patients were discharged. 

After the sewage problem was resolved, the hospital resumed all outpatient services and reopened the clinics located outside of the main hospital building. 

The hospital is one of the largest employers in Leflore County with 770 employees.

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