California: Gov. Gavin Newsom Declares State of Emergency on Monkeypox Virus | Hispanics Among the Most Affected in the State?

Governor Gavin Newsom just placed the entire state of California in a state of emergency because of the monkeypox outbreak in the country.

Newsom follows the lead of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who both placed their respective states in a state of emergency because of the virus.

Based on the current data, Hispanics or Latinos make up almost 40% of the actual cases in the state.

California Governor Gavin Newsom Declares State of Emergency

According to CNBC, Governor Gavin Newsom placed the state in a public health emergency to ramp up its vaccination efforts amid the fast-rising monkeypox cases in the area.

Over the past few days, there has been a strong demand for monkeypox vaccines in the state, and the supply needed to suffice the jabs is scarce.

Last week, Mayor London Breed of the City of San Francisco placed the city in a state of emergency after being declared the epicenter in California.

Reports reveal that San Francisco has tallied almost 300 cases, making up almost 40% of the cases in California.

Like Mayor Breed, Governor Gavin Newsom's emergency declaration aims to mobilize the state's Emergency Medical Services personnel to help administer the monkeypox vaccines.

"California is working urgently across all levels of government to slow the spread of monkeypox, leveraging our robust testing, contact tracing and community partnerships strengthened during the pandemic to ensure that those most at risk are our focus for vaccines, treatment, and outreach. We'll continue to work with the federal government to secure more vaccines, raise awareness about reducing risk, and stand with the LGBTQ community fighting stigmatization," Newsom said in a statement released on his website.

Monkeypox Vaccine Rollout in California

Unlike the COVID-19 vaccine that is readily available in clinics nationwide, the monkeypox vaccine can be more difficult to find in California.

In a Los Angeles Times report, Californians are actually looking for vaccination drives within their area. Google Trends has confirmed the spike in searches across the state.

However, the Jynneos monkeypox vaccine remains scarce across the country despite the high demand, especially in major states like New York, California, and Illinois.

The Jyenneo vaccine is the only FDA-approved vaccine that could ensure protection from monkeypox preventatively and post-exposure.

Newsom, in his statement, said that health officials in clinics across the state were already short-handed of staff members while the supply of the monkeypox vaccine remains scarce.

President Joe Biden has been criticized by Democrats and Republicans alike for his slow response to the monkeypox outbreak and vaccination rollout. He recently tested positive for the COVID-19 virus again in the last two weeks.

California Hispanics the Most Affected of Monkeypox in California?

Based on the California Public Health Department (CPHD) records, the cases of monkeypox in the state balloons to 786 confirmed cases as of Jul. 28, 2022.

Among those 786 confirmed cases, Hispanics or Latinos make up 239 (35.8%), trailing behind Whites with 299 (44.8%). No studies have been published yet linking how race affects the likelihood of contracting the virus. However, a recent medical journal reveals that gay and bisexual men account for most infected cases.

True enough, the CPHD data corroborates the study. It is found that 769 (98.3%) of the infected persons are Male, 5 (0.6%) are Transgender males, while there are only 3 (0.4%) recorded Female cases.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Ivan Korrs

WATCH: Newsom declares state of emergency amid spread of monkeypox across California - From Fox 11 Los Angeles