Lexington health department confirms 4th monkeypox case. The latest update from Kentucky
The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department reported a fourth case of monkeypox in Fayette County this week, while Kentucky as a whole stood at 34 cases as of Friday.
LFCHD spokesperson Kevin Hall confirmed the news in an email to the Herald-Leader Thursday.
“Lexington is reporting another confirmed case of monkeypox, bringing the city’s total to 4. We cannot release any details regarding this case at this time. We are working with the case and any possible contacts to make sure all health guidelines and precautions are followed,” Hall wrote in the email.
Earlier this week, the U.S. surpassed 20,000 monkeypox cases, more cases than any other country, U.S. News reported. As of Friday, the U.S. stood at 21,504 total confirmed cases, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Although the U.S. leads the world with the largest outbreak, health officials report new infections are slowing, crediting increased availability of vaccines and more public awareness of prevention measures.
During his weekly news conference, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear encouraged vulnerable individuals to get the vaccine.
Right now, data suggest those most vulnerable for contracting monkeypox include gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, the CDC reports. The virus is not strictly a sexually transmitted disease, and anyone can become infected via close contact.
“Anybody who is at-risk needs to get vaccinated,” Beshear said.
The LCFD is offering vaccines to eligible individuals. For more information, go online to lfchd.org/monkeypox/.
Monkeypox cases in the U.S.
Note: These graphics will automatically update as new data become available.
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