LA County Health Shows West Hollywood in 50-100 Monkeypox Case Range

The Los Angeles County Health Department updated its monkeypox case summary data yesterday. A new map listing Cumulative Case Counts and Vaccination Sites by Service Planning Areas shows the city of West Hollywood is currently in the purple, placing it in the 50-100 case range with the region of LA County surrounding West Hollywood, Hollywood and Los Angeles as having the most cases (Long Beach and Pasadena have their own public health departments).

Total cumulative cases as of July 22, 2022, are 162. New data shows 100% of the 162 cases are male. !38 (85%) identify as LGBQ+3; 1-4 identify as heterosexual/straight; 23 are unknown.

Regarding race, LA County lists the following graph:

Age group is listed below:

According LA County Health, given the limited current national vaccine supply, the Public Health priority is to administer as many first doses of monkeypox vaccine as possible to all eligible persons at this time. As soon as federal vaccine supply expands, Public Health will make second doses available to those who received their initial dose.

Group A – BY INVITATION ONLY to:
Persons confirmed by Public Health to have had high- or intermediate-risk contact with someone with monkeypox, as defined by CDC.
Persons who attended an event or venue where there was high risk of exposure to an individual(s) with confirmed monkeypox virus through skin-to-skin or sexual contact. Public Health will work with event/venue organizers to identify persons who may have been present and at risk of exposure while at the venue.
Public Health or clinic partners will directly communicate to eligible patients to provide details on how and where to access the JYNNEOS vaccine.

Group B – GAY OR BISEXUAL MEN AND TRANSGENDER PERSONS 18 Years and Older WHO:

Were diagnosed with gonorrhea or early syphilis within the past 12 months (previously limited to within 3 months and specific to rectal gonorrhea or early syphilis); or

Are on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP); or
Attended or worked at a commercial sex venue or other venue where they had anonymous sex or sex with multiple partners (e.g., saunas, bathhouses, sex clubs, sex party) within past 21 days.
Residents who fall under these eligibility requirements can get vaccinated several ways:

Contacting their doctor or healthcare provider to find out if they are a monkeypox vaccine provider. If they are a vaccine provider, residents can ask to get vaccinated.

Visiting a Public Monkeypox vaccine location with their ID and provide one of the following:

Proof of gonorrhea or early syphilis infection in the last 12 months in the form of a lab report (the proof can be shown from your phone, including a screenshot of the result or within a patient portal; OR

A monkeypox provider attestation form completed by your doctor (these attestations forms would be provided by a doctor if the patient meets the eligibility requirements but they are not a monkeypox vaccine provider); OR
A text message with their name from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health inviting residents to get vaccinated.

If you have monkeypox symptoms or are currently under isolation for monkeypox, please do not attend the vaccination clinics or walk-up sites. If you think you have monkeypox please speak with a provider and get tested.

To learn view the monkeypox case summary visit the Los Angeles County of Public Health website: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/monkeypox/index.htm

The City of West Hollywood is co-sponsoring the Los Angeles Blade Monkeypox Town Hall featuring a panel discussion of public health experts on Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at 6 p.m. at the City of West Hollywood’s Council Chambers/Public Meeting Room, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. The event is presented in partnership with more than a dozen LGBTQ and HIV nonprofit groups including WEHO TIMES.

The Monkeypox Town Hall is free and open to the public. Advance registration for in-person attendance is required. To register, please visit https://bit.ly/3yV2PJd. Seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and there will be limited validated parking in the adjacent five-story West Hollywood Park structure.