New York City experiences a surge in Mpox cases among unvaccinated individuals: health alert issued by NYC Health
Since October 2023, there has been a significant rise in cases of Mpox in New York City, particularly among individuals who have not been vaccinated or have only received one dose. According to a health alert issued by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health) on May 3rd, prior to this year, the city saw an average of 2 to 20 cases per month. However, since October, the number of cases has increased to an average of 36 per month, with a peak of 51 cases in January. Of the 256 cases reported since October, 73% of individuals were unvaccinated or had only received one dose, and 94% were men who have sex with men, primarily Black and Hispanic men between the ages of 25 and 44. Most cases were mild, with just ten individuals requiring hospitalization.
The Jynneos vaccine has transitioned to the commercial market but federally funded supplies will be available at no cost until early summer. Healthcare providers were urged by the health department to continue offering vaccines to at-risk populations, particularly individuals with HIV or other immunocompromising conditions. Providers were also reminded to be mindful of the risk of the more severe clade 1 virus currently causing a severe outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), potentially spreading to the United States. While clade 1 outbreak strain has not been found outside Africa, providers were advised to watch for individuals with mpox symptoms who have traveled to or have connections with the affected region.
