Two confirmed cases of monkeypox; COVID number up again
With two confirmed cases in the county, the Florida Department of Health Lee County is responding to the monkeypox outbreak. Last week, the DOH-Lee stated there are cases of monkeypox in at least 43 states and Washington, D.C.
There have been zero reported deaths from monkeypox across the United States and the DOH said the “risk of monkeypox to the general population remains low.”
The DOH-Lee stated the agency is continuing to conduct epidemiological investigations to notify possible exposures and offer potential post-exposure treatment. It will offer the monkeypox vaccine to high-risk groups as doses become available from the federal government.
“The threat of monkeypox to the general population remains low,” DOH-Lee spokesperson Debra Kimberlin said in an email. “Transmission generally requires prolonged, face-to-face contact, direct contact with an active rash, or indirect contact with an active rash through contaminated items, such as contaminated clothing. Vaccination is the best way to protect against monkeypox.”
According to the CDC, “99% of people who get this form of the disease are likely to survive. However, people with weakened immune systems, children under 8 years of age, people with a history of eczema, and people who are pregnant or breastfeeding may be more likely to get seriously ill or die.”
The CDC states that symptoms of monkeypox include: fever, headache, muscle aches and backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and a rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appears on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body such as the hands, feet, chest, or genital areas.
Kimberlin added, “Men who have sex with men are at the highest risk for contracting monkeypox.”
The DOH-Lee stated that if health care providers suspect a possible case of monkeypox, immediately contact your local health department or the 24/7 disease reporting hotline at 850-245-4401.
LEE HEALTH REPORTS SPIKE IN COVID
Lee Health announced that there were 151 COVID-19 patients at its hospitals on July 22, a 66 percent increase in the number of patients at its hospitals testing positive for COVID-19 two weeks earlier.
“Due to the growing number of COVID-19 infections in our community, we are sharing our current inpatient numbers at Lee Health. We will continue to keep the community updated as needed,” Lee Health announced in a prepared statement.
“Due to the recent increase in influenza, COVID-19, and other illnesses in Southwest Florida, Lee Health is experiencing higher patient volumes in our facilities. We have reduced the cost of telehealth visits through Lee TeleHealth from $49 to $20 to help our community utilize urgent care telehealth services from the comfort of their homes without having to visit an urgent care location or emergency department,” it reported.
Lee TeleHealth can be accessed in the following ways:
– From the Lee Health Mobile App
– Downloading the “Lee TeleHealth” app on a smartphone or tablet
– Visiting https://leetelehealth.org from a computer
To reach CJ HADDAD / cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com, please email