CHICAGO (CBS) — Illinois Governor JB Pritzker on Monday declared the monkeypox virus a public health emergency and declared Illinois a disaster zone for the disease.
The declaration applies statewide and will allow the Illinois Department of Public Health to coordinate logistics to assist in vaccine distribution and treatment and prevention efforts. The statement will also help coordinate the state response with the federal government.
“MPV is a rare but potentially serious disease that requires the full mobilization of all available public health resources to prevent its spread,” Governor Pritzker said in a press release. “That’s why I’m declaring a state of emergency to ensure smooth coordination between state agencies and all levels of government, thereby increasing our ability to prevent and treat disease quickly. We’ve seen this virus disproportionately affect the LGBTQ+ community in its early stages. Here in Illinois, we will ensure that our LGBTQ+ community has the resources to stay safe while ensuring that members are not stigmatized when accessing critical health care.”
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— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) August 1, 2022
The proclamation will take effect immediately and will remain in effect for 30 days. The World Health Organization declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern on 23 July.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady released a statement endorsing the state’s public health emergency declaration and saying no additional declaration is necessary for the city:
“This emergency declaration brings a needed and increased focus to the Monkeypox (MPV) outbreak we are seeing here in Chicago, in our state and across the country. Since the beginning of this outbreak, the Chicago Department of Public Health has have been working diligently with clinical and community partners to raise awareness and vaccinate residents at increased risk and will continue to do so. Ultimately, however, we need more support at the federal level to fully address the threat MPV poses to our city We hope that this declaration joins a chorus of others across the country and encourages the rapid scale-up and distribution of vaccines. This declaration will allow the state to use emergency procurement powers and directly involve others state agencies, such as the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), in the statewide response.Chicago does not need a separate emergency declaration, as we are covered by the state and, in addition, we already have one local emergency and recruitment process; a strong local distribution network; and a diverse group of clinical and community partners working to raise awareness and vaccinate Chicagoans at increased risk.”
Monkeypox: What we know so far
As of Monday, a total of 520 cases of monkeypox have been reported in Illinois, according to the Illinois Department of Health. This total includes all probable and confirmed cases.
The city of Chicago reported a total of 330 cases as of July 28.
Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said monkeypox can be spread through close, personal and often skin-to-skin contact. Officials have noted that the virus is spreading primarily among men with same-sex partners.
According to the CDC, symptoms include trouble breathing, fever, rash, headache. A full list of symptoms can be found here.
CDC officials said symptoms usually begin “within 3 weeks of exposure to the virus.” The illness usually lasts two to four weeks.
As CBS 2 reported, patients have described painful sores all over their bodies, along with fevers, headaches, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes.
Cases of monkeypox usually resolve after a few weeks without further treatment. Some reported cases have been more serious and have resulted in hospitalization.