Monkeypox declared public health emergency in King County

KING COUNTY, Wash. — Officials have declared monkeypox a public health emergency in King County as public health organizations continue to work to contain the virus.

Executive Dow Constantine issued a local emergency proclamation Friday that will allow Public Health – Seattle & King County to be more flexible with procurement, hiring and contracting protocols as they respond to the outbreak.

“We are fortunate to have one of the best public health organizations in the nation right here in King County, and today’s action ensures they will have all the tools needed to take on the challenge of monkeypox,” said Constantine. “The health of our community is paramount, and responding quickly and nimbly to monkeypox will help keep more of us safe.”

The proclamation will not have an effect on how many vaccines are distributed in the region, as that decision is made at the federal level, but officials say it will help Public Health work with providers and community partners to help deliver the vaccine when larger quantities are available.

Monkeypox is typically spread by close physical contact and can be extremely painful.

It was mainly contained to parts of central and West Africa until an outbreak began in Europe in May.

The shortage of vaccines and the rapid spread prompted President Biden to declare a nationwide public health emergency earlier this month.

There are now more than 14,000 cases in the U.S.

Public Health – Seattle & King County also launched a Monkeypox data dashboard on its website Friday, similar to a tool on the website that tracks COVID-19 cases.

As of Friday, there are 275 monkeypox cases in the county with eight hospitalizations.

Health officials say the county has had far fewer positive cases over the past few weeks, but caution that those were likely significant undercounts due to reporting and testing delays.

The State Department of Health’s data dashboard shows there are 333 monkeypox cases in Washington, including seven cases in non-residents.

While the vast majority of cases are in King County, the next highest is Pierce County with 21 cases, followed by seven cases in Snohomish County.

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