Monkeypox Cases on the Rise in Florida

A City of Miami Beach commissioner is sounding off after monkeypox cases continue to rise in his home state.

“We need to be aggressive in stopping the transmission of this virus,” Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez told NBC 6.

Florida now ranks fourth in the nation for the number of monkeypox infections.

The most recent data shows that there were 442 cases in the state on Monday.

“Last week, the state of Florida had 273 cases — now we’re up to 442 cases,” said Fernandez.

“We’re reaching out to our federal lobbyists. We’re reaching out to the FDOH. We’re asking for there to be more vaccines to Miami-Dade County and city of Miami Beach,” Fernandez said.

Though not deadly, monkeypox is spread to anyone through close, personal, and often skin-to-skin contact, which can often include direct contact with ashes, scabs, or bodily fluids.

The disease, right now, is spreading fast among men who have sex with men. However, medical professionals say it is not confined to just one group and fear that as school starts, transmission could increase drastically among other populations.

Tuesday, President Biden named FEMA’s Robert Fenton as the White House National Monkeypox Response Coordinator and Dr. Demetre Daskalakis as the White House National Monkeypox Response Deputy Coordinator. They will lead the Administration’s strategy and operations to combat the current monkeypox outbreak, including equitably increasing the availability of tests, vaccinations and treatments.

Currently, New York, California, and Illinois are the top 3 states with the most infections.