© 2024 WRVO Public Media
NPR News for Central New York
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Broome County confirms first case of monkeypox, Tompkins County confirms second case

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Broome County officials announced its first case of monkeypox Friday, and Tompkins County officials announced a second case. Health officials in Broome County say it was only a matter of time, but the risk of exposure remains low and there is no cause for panic. The patient is at home recovering and did not have contact with others. The county currently does not have any doses of the vaccine, which is in short supply. But Broome County Health Director Mary McFadden said they tried.

“At this point, for our county, it’s specifically to treat, to give pre-exposure protection to people who were exposed,” McFadden said. “Since we don’t have any in our county that were exposed… we tried to get some, but were told no.”

In Tompkins County, officials say a second county resident has tested positive for monkeypox. The person has no local close contacts.

As of July 29, there have been 1,383 cases of monkeypox in the state. 1,289 of them are in New York City. New York state is set to receive 170,000 doses of the monkeypox vaccine. But the vaccine has virtually no availability in the Southern Tier and central New York.

Symptoms of the monkeypox virus can appear one to two weeks after exposure. They include a rash or skin lesions, like pimples and blisters, and flu symptoms like fever, chills, headaches and muscle aches. People with symptoms should contact their health care provider and local health department. The virus spreads through direct contact with the infectious rash, scabs or body fluids. People who do not have symptoms cannot spread the virus.