SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — There has been an increase in mpox cases among San Francisco residents, the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) announced this week in a press release. Officials reported seven mpox cases in the last five weeks. This is an increase from the previous one case per month between January to June of 2023, according to the SFDPH.
However, officials said this number is lower than compared to 2022.
At one point in September 2022, there were over 23,000 cases statewide in California. More than 700 of those cases were reported in San Francisco.
Mpox, formerly known as Monkeypox, is a disease related to smallpox but is thought to be less severe. Symptoms of the illness include fever, body aches, chills, and fatigue.
SFDPH recommends the “safe and effective” JYNNEOS mpox vaccine, which is a two-dose vaccination. However, officials said the vaccine is not recommended for anyone who has been previously diagnosed with mpox.
The San Francisco Department of Public Health listed a number of mpox resources:
- Mpox pages for the public:
- SF City Clinic Provider Pages:
- SFDPH mpox for providers:
- California Department of Public Health
In May, the World Health Organization (WHO) said mpox is no longer a global emergency. In July 2022, WHO declared mpox to be an “extraordinary” situation that qualified as a global crisis.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
