Home Contra Costa County Contra Costa County Confirms Case of Monkeypox

Contra Costa County Confirms Case of Monkeypox

by ECT

On Tuesday, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors received a briefing on Monkeypox in Contra Costa County who now have a single case.

According to Dr. Sofe Mekuria, she confirmed during the meeting that Contra Costa County has a single case which can cause a serious illness while people can catch it from close contact, but most people are not at high risk at this time.

“It’s in the news because we have seen an unusually high amount of cases in the United States and across the world. In the US we have primary seen monkeypox infecting the men who have sex with men community,” said Mekuria.

She said the virus primary spreads from skin-to-skin contact and body fluids. Most frequently in the US its from sexual contact.

Mekuria stated Contra Costa County is now one of several counties in California to confirm a case of monkeypox. She encouraged people who develop rashes to cover them up or stay home.

July 12, 2022: Contra Costa Health Services, along with the California Department of Public Health and other agencies, are monitoring a growing outbreak of monkeypox cases in the United States and California. There has been one confirmed case in Contra Costa County. While it’s good to stay alert about any emerging public health outbreaks, the current risk of getting monkeypox in the general public is very low.

COVID-19 UPDATE

County health Director Anna Roth reported that the County was seeing a high transmission rate of COVID-19 due to new variants (BA.4 & BA.5) being more highly contagious but were holding steady with hospitalization and utilization of ICU which is the number they are focused on.

She further highlighted they were not tracking case rates because it was difficult to do with so many people testing at home. They are still recommending masking indoors, not an order, just a recommendation as a prevention. They also are still recommending vaccination noting unvaccinated people are 2 to 2.5x more likely to be hospitalized.

“Since December of 2020, 81% of deaths have been in the unvaccinated population,” said Roth. “If you are not vaccinated, go get vaccinated. If you are over 50 and have not had a vaccination this year, its time for you to go get a booster.”

Air Quality in Pittsburg

(UPDATED Health Advisory) Pittsburg and nearby communities may experience intermittent poor air quality due to the nearby Marsh Fire and residents are advised to monitor conditions and take precautions to avoid exposure to smoke.

People in the area should minimize outdoor activities when they see or smell smoke, particularly older adults, pregnant women, and people who have asthma, lung or heart disease.

When air quality is poor, residents should stay indoors with doors and windows closed as much as possible. People in the area should avoid going in and out of their homes to prevent bad air from getting indoors. Those without power should consider going to a location with a powered ventilation system.

Using a mask is not an effective substitute for staying indoors in a space with filtered air. Bandanas, surgical masks and other face coverings are not effective protection against wildfire smoke. Those who must go out during smoky periods should wear respirator-style masks (N-95, N-100, KN-95).

Taking a mask on and off can cause fine particles in the smoke to build up in the mask, which the wearer will breathe when the mask is put back on the face.

People with asthma should continue to follow their asthma plan, and those with chronic lung or heart disease should continue to take their medications regularly. Symptoms such as difficulty breathing, chest pain or chest tightness may require immediate medical attention.

Call 911 if you experience these symptoms.

Contra Costa Health will post updated information about this incident at cchealth.org. More health information about wildfire smoke is available at cchealth.org/wildfire-smoke.

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1 comment

Ray Jul 15, 2022 - 9:07 am

No sticking wanger up poop chute.

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