Rising monkeypox cases cause concern in Georgia as ‘global emergency’ declared

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) - The monkeypox outbreak continues to spread. Atlanta-based CDC reports there are 16,836 probable or confirmed cases nationwide, 2,891 cases in the U.S. and 211 in Georgia, an increase since 158 cases were reported on July 21.

The U.S Department of Health and Human Services recently delivered an additional 3,000 vaccines to Georgia for a total of 6,000 in the past month. However, doctors say there are still not enough vaccines for everyone who is eligible to receive one.

Fulton County received another allotment of vaccines this week. The Board of Health held a vaccine clinic on Thursdays. Joshua-James Simon-Lybick got his first dose of the two-shot vaccine. He said he has friends who contracted the rare virus.

“I want to be clear this is not the only to say that this is not the only way that it’s spread, but we’re seeing it in this group of people at a greater degree than others because of that skin-to-skin contact,” said Dr. Jayne Morgan of Piedmont Healthcare.

“From the worst that I’ve seen. I would not wish that on my worst enemy,” said Joshua-James Simon-Lybick of Atlanta. “The worst ones have been like can’t sleep for like multiple days because of searing pain.”

Many metro area clinics are exclusively set up for men who have sex with men, a group considered by the CDC to be most at risk.

“I want to be clear that this is not the only way that it’s spread, but we’re seeing it in this group of people at a greater degree than others because of that skin-to-skin contact,” said Dr. Jayne Morgan of Piedmont Healthcare.

The doctor says the general public does not need to be concerned about getting the vaccine at this point. The number of cases does not support that need, but monkeypox should be on everybody’s radar.

Those in the gay community, have expressed frustration as hundreds rushed to sign up for the vaccine, many being shut out within minutes.

“Frankly the demand is simply much, much higher than supply,” Darryl Carver of Fulton County Board of Health told CBS46 News. “These are people who clearly care about their health and are clearly responding to it.”

Another clinic in Fulton County is scheduled for July 26, but that clinic is already booked. Carver says more clinics will take place once the health department receives more doses of the vaccine.