The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday announced the activation of its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to address the rising number of monkeypox cases in the country.
The activation of the EOC would allow the agency to "further increase operational support for the response to meet the outbreak's evolving challenges." The facility is currently activated for COVID-19 and is where experts monitor information on other public health emergencies, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and oil spills.
Emergency Operation Center
The CDC's webpage also notes that the center works to outline a structure of response from the federal government and alongside non-government actors in emergency response. The most recent data from the agency showed that at least 244 probably or confirmed cases of monkeypox were reported in the U.S., as per CNN.
The situation comes as the federal government is also set to release at least 1.6 million vaccines by the end of the year to fight the outbreak. Federal health officials said on Tuesday that they were encouraging anyone who could have possibly been exposed to the disease to get the vaccine.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be responsible for releasing 56,000 doses of the Junneos vaccine immediately in areas where monkeypox transmission rates are high. This will be followed by an additional 240,000 doses in the following weeks to address other cases.
Authorities will distribute the vaccines through a tier system, which means they will prioritize areas with a high number of confirmed cases. The decision comes as the country has recorded more than 300 cases of monkeypox across more than two dozen states.
According to USA Today, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said on Tuesday that they were recommending that vaccines be provided to both people with known monkeypox exposures who are contacted by public health, and also individuals who have been recently exposed to the disease but may not have been identified through case investigation and contact tracing.
Monkeypox Vaccines
The deputy director of the CDC's Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Jennifer McQuiston, said that intimate or sexual contact "seems to be a primary driver for transmission" for monkeypox."
Health officials added that people who have had a sexual partner diagnosed with monkeypox, as well as men who have had sex with other men who have had multiple sexual partners in areas where monkeypox cases were rising, should get vaccinated against the virus.
While vaccines are available, there are no treatments specifically for monkeypox infections. However, smallpox viruses are genetically similar, which means that smallpox vaccines could be used to prevent monkeypox infections.
Walensky, speaking of the vaccines to be shipped out, said that there were currently some limitations on supply and that the administration's priority right now was to make the treatment available to those who need it the most.
But an older smallpox vaccine, called ACAM2000, is associated with harsh side effects, including death, in people who are immunocompromised, pregnant women, and older adults. The vaccination program also drew criticism from experts who argued that it was too small or too slow to make an impact, the New York Times reported.
Related Article: WHO: Monkeypox Outbreak Not Yet a Global Health Emergency But Should be 'Closely Monitored'
