CDC warns that Tampa Bay could become more contagious due to low immunity from mpox

Dozens of mostly urban communities, including Hillsboro and Pinellas counties, are at risk of another mpox outbreak this summer. According to new analysis From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hillsboro has a 52% risk of contracting the virus this year, while the report puts Pinellas at 48%.

These numbers were calculated using data modeling and also take into account the low immunization rates of at-risk populations in the county. The 2022 outbreak of the disease, formerly known as monkeypox, disproportionately affected homosexuals, bisexuals, and other men who have sex with men.

Only 15% of Hillsboro’s at-risk population have immunity through vaccination or past infection, according to the report. Pinellas immunity rate is estimated at 20%.

Five other counties in Florida are also named in the study that calculated risk for 50 communities nationwide. Duval County, home of Jacksonville, has the highest epidemic risk in the nation at 57%, according to a study.

The alert comes after Chicago has already reported an increase in the number of cases, and the CDC announced on May 15 that health warning About the ongoing infectious disease in the city of Illinois.

A CDC study recommends that communities promote vaccines and other preventive measures ahead of pride-related events.

Metro Inclusive Health chief marketing officer Brian Bailey said the spread of the virus in Chicago has already put the health nonprofit on high alert. The company plans an outreach campaign to encourage more people to vaccinate ahead of the St. Pete’s Pride event on June 24. The mpox vaccine should be given in two doses, 20 days apart.

“Pride comes elbow-to-elbow with people, so we have to be careful. We have to take it seriously,” he said.

Mpox is endemic in Central Africa and parts of West Africa. Expanding to US and Europe in May 2022. This viral disease resembles smallpox but is milder and usually lasts 2 to 4 weeks. It usually begins with flu-like symptoms that progress to rashes and lesions. It can be spread by prolonged direct contact with a person with an active rash or by handling objects that have come in contact with an infectious rash.

The 2022 epidemic infected more than 30,000 people in the United States last year and killed 42, according to CDC data.

With more than 2,800 recorded cases in Florida, the epidemic peaked in August and dropped to near zero by the end of the year. Metro Inclusive administered 1,500 vaccines across Tampa Bay.

“Everyone knew it was going to be a massive explosion,” Bailey said. “Thankfully, the community has done what it takes to prevent that from happening.”

Hillsboro has only one reported case this year, compared with 229 in 2022, according to data from the Florida Department of Health. Pinellas reported three cases this year and 162 cases last year.

Pinellas Department of Health spokesman Tom Iobino said the county has a sufficient supply of the Gynneos vaccine and that it is being provided free of charge on a walk-in basis at county clinics.

“Vaccines remain the most effective way to prevent the spread of disease,” he said. “What happens, we will be watching closely.”

Despite the low numbers, mpox is likely endemic in the United States, said Brad Perkins, chief medical officer at Carius, a company that makes advanced molecular tests for the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases. said.

“There will continue to be risks,” he said. “It is very unlikely that we will be able to eradicate this virus like we did with smallpox.”

Dr. Karius is working with the CDC and the National Institutes of Health to conduct research into the effectiveness of tests that can show the presence of mpox in the blood before lesions appear. Currently, testing is done by biopsy taken from a rash or lesion.

a Recent CDC Case Reviews It suggests that mpox-infected individuals with HIV or other infections that compromise the immune system are more vulnerable to severe, potentially fatal symptoms. Studies have found that early detection and treatment can significantly improve outcomes.

“If you have been infected and are wondering if you have it, this test can be very helpful,” Perkins said.

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Worried about mpox?

The Mpox vaccine is available free of charge on a walk-in basis between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the following clinics in Pinellas County: Please bring photo ID. If you have symptoms or need advice, please call 727-824-6900.

205 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N, St. Petersburg

Pinellas Park, 6350 76th Ave. N

8751 Ulmerton Road, Largo, Mid-County

310 N Myrtle Ave, Clearwater

Hillsboro County residents should call their local health care provider or the County Health Department office at 813-307-8000 if they are concerned about possible infection.