Experts say the number of monkeypox case numbers is increasing across Central Florida, with Volusia county announcing its first case Friday.
What You Need To Know
- The number of monkeypox cases in Central Florida has continued to increase, experts say
- Volusia County reported its first case Friday
- In all, there have been nearly 350 cases of monkeypox confirmed in Florida
- Related: Orange County resident appalled at the lack of monkeypox vaccine availability
Dr. Aftab Khan, a local board certified doctor of internal medicine, said he is troubled by what he sees when it comes to the spread of monkeypox in the U.S.
“The CDC website says that we have nearly 5,000 cases of monkeypox in this country," he said. "We have nearly 350 cases of monkeypox in state of Florida. We are No. 4 among all the states with the cases. So, I am very much concerned that how the monkeypox is spreading."
According to information from health experts, there have been 22 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Orange County; three in Polk County; two each in Lake and Seminole counties; and one each in Flagler, Volusia and Osceola counties.
Kahn said there are several issues surrounding this disease, including understanding how it is spread, that has led to a stigma that only certain populations can get it.
Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, said 99% of Americans infected with monkeypox are male or assigned male sex at birth, and the vast majority have reported engaging in close male-to-male contact.
Kahn said that data does not reflect the reality of the situation.
“It’s not a disease of gays and bisexuals — it can happen to anybody with close, intimate, intimate contact," he said. "You know, if you're sharing a household with somebody who's infected with monkeypox, you can share it if you're sharing towels linens or blankets.
"Monkeypox virus can survive on those surfaces for very long period of time. And, you know, so just don't think that just because you don't belong to that particular group, you cannot be infected."
Khan believes there are likely many more people infected with monkeypox than the numbers show due to lack of testing. Despite being a primary care doctor, he was only able to receive five test kits from a laboratory, none of which will be covered by insurance.
“When inflation is so high, who can afford $100 tests for monkeypox?" he said.
Khan said even if he does have a patient with monkeypox, getting them treatment can be another struggle.
"If I suspect somebody's having monkeypox, I cannot send this patient to Walgreens or CVS, go and get your prescription filled," he said. "No, I have to ask Department of Health and CDC to get this drug out of their stockpile. So we have lots of hurdles, and hoops, to jump over to get treatment, get testing and even vaccination is not readily available so far.”
Khan said that monkeypox can be very painful and require weeks of isolation, so it is crucial to catch it early. He said if someone starts developing a rash and believe they might have been exposed — it is important for them to contact their doctor right away.