Doctors in Connecticut say they are beginning to see an uptick in Mpox cases, with diagnoses expected to more than double in the first half of 2024 compared to last year.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health announced Monday that 11 people have been diagnosed with the virus in the state so far this year. The people diagnosed are between the ages of 20 and 50 and live in Hartford, New Haven, New London and Fairfield counties.
“The reason we’re looking at this issue now is because we know that one in three people that the CDC estimates are at risk for Mpox in Connecticut have received both doses of the vaccine,” said DPH Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani. “You need two doses of the vaccine to be fully vaccinated against Mpox. Some people have only received one dose.”
In 2022, the province reported 145 cases. In 2023, following the introduction of the vaccine, there were only four cases of Mpox.
“It is mainly prevalent among gay people and men who have sex with men, and among family members in such situations who have close personal contact,” Jutani added.
But doctors stress that anyone can become infected with Mpox.
“It’s important to remember that while it can be transmitted through intimate contact, which may put certain patient populations at risk, such as gay and bisexual men who have sex with other men or their sexual partners, anyone can be infected with Mpox,” said Dr. Ulysses Wu, infectious disease system director at Hartford HealthCare. “It’s also believed that it can be transmitted through prolonged face-to-face contact and through linens, bedding and towels.”
“It’s risen to the point where all of us practitioners have our bunny ears standing up,” Wu added.
Doctors said immunity to Mpox lasts for five years after vaccination, meaning people who have not received both doses are still at risk.
“If you look at the data across the U.S., we’re seeing people who have been infected with Mpox after just one dose,” Jutani said. “We have strategies and prevention methods that can get this situation under control again, and we want to take this opportunity to get that message out to people: If you’re at risk, please consider getting vaccinated.”
Mpox appears as a skin rash or lesions, and symptoms may also include fever, muscle pain, and swollen lymph nodes.
“This is a very painful infection. There have been no deaths from Mpox in Connecticut since 2022, which is good news. We have a treatment,” Jutani said. “And this is just a plea: Please consider getting the two doses, because that’s how we can continue to enjoy our summer and stay safe and healthy for the rest of 2024.”
