Monkeypox vaccine clinic planned, fewer than five cases in Vanderburgh County

EVANSVILLE — Fewer than five cases of monkeypox have officially been reported in Vanderburgh County.

Joe Gries, administrator at the Vanderburgh County Health Department, said the county has received reports of monkeypox locally, but he could not specify the exact amount due to "communicable disease laws," but that the number is less than five.

There have been 95 reported cases of monkeypox in Indiana, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention case count map. Kentucky only has 15 cases, while neighboring Illinois has 851.

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How to get vaccinated locally

The Indiana Department of Health will be administering the Monkeypox Jynneos Vaccine from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Friday at Someplace Else Nightclub, 930 Main St. in Evansville. Those interested in receiving a vaccine should pre-register at www.monkeypoxin.org.

Vaccines are currently in limited supply in Indiana.

Signs and symptoms

Monkeypox can start with fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion, according to the IDOH.

Those usually appear seven to 14 days after a person is exposed to monkeypox. One to three days later, a rash appears that can look like pimples or blisters. It will show up usually on the face, inside of mouth, and other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus.

The rash goes through different stages before healing completely and the illness lasts two to four weeks.

How it spreads

Monkeypox can spread person-to-person through:

• direct contact with the rash, scabs, or body fluids
• respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact, or during intimate physical contact, such as kissing, cuddling, or sex
• touching items, like clothing or bedding, that previously touched the infectious rash or body fluids
• pregnant people can spread the virus to their fetus through the placenta.
• It’s also possible for people to get monkeypox from infected animal by being scratched or bitten by the animal or by preparing or eating meat from an infected animal.

At this time, it is not known if monkeypox can spread through semen or vaginal fluids.

A person with monkeypox can spread the infection to other from the time symptoms start until the rash is fully healed.