John Smith | Corbis News | Getty Images New York Gov. Kathy Hotchul declared a state of emergency in the state of disaster Friday night due to the continued spread of monkeypox. He said the emergency declaration would lead to a faster response and better distribution of vaccination. It came a day after New York State’s health commissioner said monkeypox was an “imminent public health threat.” “I am declaring a State of Disaster Emergency to strengthen our ongoing efforts to address the monkeypox outbreak,” Hochul tweeted on Friday. Hochul said the state is an emerging center for the virus, which manifests itself with symptoms of rashes and lesions all over the body, limbs and genitals. New York has recorded the most cases of the virus nationally – 1,345 – followed by California with 799, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last updated on Friday. “More than one in four cases of monkeypox in this country are in New York State, and we must use every tool in our arsenal as we respond,” Hochul wrote. The emergency, established by executive order, allows EMS personnel, pharmacists, midwives, physicians and registered nurses to administer vaccines, the governor’s office said in a statement. The state was already in the process of securing more vaccines, expanding testing and distributing information through a website and text alert system, the governor’s office said. On Thursday, Hochul said a new federal government allocation would mean an additional 110,000 doses of the monkeypox vaccine for the state, for a total of 170,000 so far. The governor emphasized the importance of getting vaccines in neighborhoods and communities affected by the rapid spread. “It is particularly important to recognize the ways in which this outbreak is currently having a disproportionate impact on certain risk groups,” she said in a statement late Friday. The virus, which is spread through physical contact, can develop flu-like symptoms and its initial effects can last up to four weeks. Because men who have sex with men are among the highest-risk group for the virus, the World Health Organization on Wednesday recommended that people in this group limit their number of sexual partners as a precaution. Monkeypox outbreaks have been reported this year in 71 countries where it was previously unknown or unreported, according to the CDC. The U.S. has recorded 5,189 cases this year, according to CDC data as of Friday. On Thursday, the city of San Francisco declared its own health emergency due to the virus.
