Officials identify ‘few’ cases of monkeypox over summer – The GW Hatchet

The Student Health Center is treating monkeypox patients on campus and educating members of the GW community about the spread of the disease after officials identified a “small number” of cases in the community.

Rebecca Christie, Medical Director of the Student Health Center, said that SHC (formerly Colonial Health Center), through its partnership with the DC Health Department, is working to assess, rapidly diagnose, and treat suspected positive cases of the disease. He said he was stepping up treatment and awareness. local area.She said authorities are aiming Educate students through presentations on monkeypox and other epidemics to prevent outbreaks on campus, but Christie refused to release the number of cases within the GW community.

Christie said the SHC’s medical services team partnered with the health department to diagnose and treat a “small number” of cases within the GW community over the summer. Christie said each member of the community who contracted monkeypox has recovered from the disease.

official report The first GW case of monkeypox in the GW community was in late June.

Christie said SHC plans to evaluate probable cases through telemedicine appointments before bringing patients in for an in-person clinical evaluation.

“It is important to understand that monkeypox is an infectious disease that all members of the GW community should be aware of,” Christie said in an email. Everyone is at risk of infection,” he said.

Christie said the SHC will refer high-risk patients to the D.C. Department of Health for vaccination and provide access to tecovirimato (brand name Tpoxx) for the treatment of monkeypox for students with severe symptoms. rice field.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Drug Administration last week Licensed Administering the Jynneos vaccine intradermally – the process of injecting the vaccine into the skin rather than into the fat layer under the skin – this increases the number of doses in each vial fivefold.

Monkeypox is expand Direct and indirect contact with skin lesions, or through respiratory droplets, most commonly through sexual interaction. symptoms may occur 5 to 21 days after exposure.

Christie works with SHC Capital Peers Sexual Health Task Force – A group of peer health educators bringing education and health promotion to GW’s student body – will host health and wellness presentations and outreach programs at student residences to raise awareness of monkeypox and other communicable diseases . she said mThe medical services team spent the summer educating staff about the virus to better understand the “epidemic.”

She encourages officials from GW and other universities in the region, including Georgetown University, American University, Howard University, The Catholic University, George Mason University, and University of Maryland, to provide updates on monkeypox and public health in the city. Impact, said it has received protocol status from DC government representatives. The conference is held bimonthly and is hosted by the Consortium of Universities in the Washington metropolitan area, a group of local higher education institutions, Christie said.

Christie said the SHC does not accept walk-in visitors and encourages students to call the clinic if they are experiencing symptoms or have been exposed to the virus to reduce infection. I said yes.

Stakeholders at the beginning of the month release It is the first public health update on monkeypox, stating that the spread of the virus in the GW community remains “very low.”

As of 18 August, more than 14,000 cases have been confirmed nationwide since the first cases were recorded in May.

White House Declared Monkeypox is a public health emergency, and in early August, a week after the World Health Organization announced a new initiative to increase access to care and resources. Declared Monkeypox was a public health emergency of international concern late last month.

DC Health offer Monkeypox vaccine for adult DC residents, employees, college students and patients who have had multiple sexual partners in the past two weeks, and sex workers and staff in facilities where sexual activity occurs.

DC health report As of 16 August, the district had 350 positive cases and more than 16,000 people vaccinated against monkeypox.

Georgetown When American Universities have identified probable monkeypox cases and provided information to their communities to reduce transmission of the virus over the summer.

Infectious disease and epidemiology experts say the university anticipates an increase in monkeypox cases and recognizes the risks the virus poses to students and faculty through accurate information and education about monkeypox-related symptoms and treatments. said it should be done.

Amesh Adolja, a senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health and an infectious disease physician, said monkeypox won’t “impact” college campuses as much as COVID-19, but colleges He said we need to be prepared to document cases and limit the spread. He said he responded to treatment with

“It’s important to make sure these things happen [treatments] People are available, people are aware of the risks, and that the university takes proactive steps in the event of an incident or exposure on campus.

Adolja said the virus is spreading rapidly among men who have sex with men, and people need to make sure that individuals in that group are aware of the higher rates of infection.

“We tend to look at all infectious disease emergencies through the lens of COVID-19,” said Adolja. “It’s not going to be like COVID-19. Monkeypox is a disease that has been known to science since the 1950s, and antiviral vaccines are being tested.”

University campuses can become “hotspots of infection,” said Andrew Brouwer, an assistant professor in the University of Michigan’s Department of Epidemiology. of sexual interactions in current development. He said the virus can spread through non-sexual skin-to-skin contact, surfaces and linens, so it can be spread by close proximity at dorms, sports and parties.

“The possible existence of these vectors of infection does not mean that they are likely,” Brouwer said in an email. “As the outbreak continues, we should be aware of changes in guidance.”

Brouwer said the University of Michigan has not reported any monkeypox cases, but the university is ready to treat and test possible cases and vaccinate priority groups. , said the best way to stop contagion is to break the chain of contagion and practice safe sex.

Brouwer said the debate about classifying monkeypox as a sexually transmitted disease has not been “productive”, but the majority of transmission occurs through sexual interactions, where individuals become infected with the virus. Awareness of current risks is important in understanding monkeypox.

“It’s important to have compassion for infected people,” Brouwer said. “Obtaining a disease is often stigmatized (we saw a lot of stigma during the COVID-19 pandemic). This is especially true for diseases that can be transmitted through sexual contact.”

This article is August 22, 2022 issue Hatchet’s.