3 Governors Declare States of Emergency
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Three U.S. states have now declared states of emergency over monkeypox outbreaks.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) declared a state of emergency on Monday after more than 800 cases of monkeypox were reported in the Golden State, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“California is working urgently across all levels of government to slow the spread of monkeypox, leveraging our robust testing, contact tracing, and community partnerships strengthened during the pandemic to ensure that those most at risk are our focus for vaccines, treatment, and outreach,” Newsom said.
“We’ll continue to work with the federal government to secure more vaccines, raise awareness about reducing risk, and stand with the LGBTQ community-fighting stigmatization,” he added.
Meanwhile, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) declared a state of emergency after 500 cases were reported.
“I am declaring a state of emergency to expand the resources and coordination efforts of state agencies in responding to, treating, and preventing the spread of MPV,” Pritzker said.
New York was the first state to declare an emergency over monkeypox.
“More than one in four monkeypox cases in this country are in New York State, and we need to utilize every tool in our arsenal as we respond,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said in a July 29 statement. “It’s especially important to recognize the ways in which this outbreak is currently having a disproportionate impact on certain at-risk groups.”
According to the CDC, almost 6,000 monkeypox cases have been reported in the U.S.
Source: Business Insider