STROUDSBURG, Pa. — According to the CDC, there are over 20,000 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the United States. The state reporting the most cases is California with 3,833, followed by New York with 3,526.
Pennsylvania is reporting 603 confirmed cases of monkeypox.
Don't let the empty examination room at Novus Adult Care Services in Stroudsburg fool you. Dr. Lisa Spacek, the chief medical officer and infectious disease specialist with Novus, says they've been busy seeing an increased number of monkeypox cases in our area.
"We have seen patients who have come to us with a rash that is classic and consistent with monkeypox. We've seen patients who've tested positive for monkeypox. We've worked closely with the state to swab and test for confirmation of monkeypox. We also have patients who come and are consistent with the presentation whether or not the test is positive," Dr. Spacek said.
Novus ACS provides sexual health services throughout the Poconos and stretching to Philadelphia.
Dr. Spacek says because the monkeypox virus can be sexually transmitted through intimate skin-to-skin contact, Novus has been at the forefront of pushing out the vaccine, inoculating hundreds of people.
"A patient who had an exposure can be vaccinated four days after the exposure and up to 14 days after the exposure with the intent to prevent the development or the severity of the disease."
Dr. Spacek says not everyone needs to get vaccinated, only those who are at risk or people who can benefit from getting the vaccine.
"Men who have sex with men, so people who identify with being at risk themselves. So if they come to us and they say, 'I have been in contact to a confirmed case,' that's sort of the first tightest circle that we really want to be able to vaccinate. And then if they say, 'I think I could have been in contact to someone,' or 'I've been involved with multiple sex partners,' or 'I've been in a venue where other people have had monkeypox,' then those are the people we also want to vaccinate."
The vaccine is offered for free at all Novus ACS locations.
To get more information or to schedule an appointment, click here.
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