Six new confirmed cases of monkeypox were found in Denton County during the week of July 25–31, bringing the countywide total to ten cases, according to a press release.
Denton County Public Health is looking into these incidents and attempting to locate anyone who may have directly interacted with the patients. To maintain patient confidentiality, no additional personal information will be disclosed.
The Dallas Express reported that North Texas has the most cases throughout the state. The number for the region has now increased to 162 cases out of the 338 statewide.
Of the cases identified so far, the majority involve men who engage in high-risk sexual activities and/or have sex with other men. However, members of the LGBTQ community are not the only ones at risk; anyone who has had close contact with a person with monkeypox is at risk, according to Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS).
Health officials have said that direct contact with infected wounds, scabs, or bodily fluids is the primary way the monkeypox virus spreads. It can also spread through respiratory secretions during prolonged face-to-face contact, such as sexual activity, kissing, or cuddling, or to a fetus during pregnancy.
After a non-contagious incubation period of one to two weeks, individuals with monkeypox may initially exhibit symptoms such as body aches, fever, and swollen lymph nodes before eventually developing skin lesions.
In terms of a monkeypox vaccine, the CDC states that individuals can only get immunized after exposure to the illness. The agency recommends administering the vaccination within four days after the date of exposure for the best chance of successfully preventing infection.
Last week, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) announced that 14,780 doses of the JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine had been delivered. DCHHS received 5,120 vaccines from DSHS instantly due to a large number of cases in the area.
The remaining doses will be sent to local health agencies and DSHS regional offices to vaccinate those with confirmed or presumed exposure to the monkeypox virus.
