IL governor declares statewide public health emergency due to monkeypox. What to know
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker declared the monkeypox virus a public health emergency and designated the state as a disaster area regarding the disease in an announcement Monday.
The proclamation goes into effect immediately and is in place for 30 days.
The declaration comes as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 419 monkeypox cases in Illinois.
The emergency declaration applies to the entire state and will allow the Illinois Department of Public Health to efficiently aid in vaccine distribution, as well as help state agencies coordinate with the federal government, the statement said.
“Proclaiming a state of disaster will allow IDPH to expand vaccine and testing capacities with the help of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and via state and federal recovery and assistance funds,” the press release said. “This proclamation will aid in facilitating the complicated logistics and transportation of vaccines across the state to reach the most impacted communities efficiently.”
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus, which is in the same virus family as variola, the virus that causes smallpox.
While monkeypox symptoms are similar to those caused by smallpox, monkeypox symptoms are more mild, and the monkeypox virus is rarely fatal, according to the CDC.
Symptoms of monkeypox may include a rash, which can look like pimples or blisters. Other possible symptoms include fever, headache, chills, exhaustion and more.
The Aug. 1 Illinois emergency declaration said the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has sent 7,458 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine to the state, along with 20,849 to the city of Chicago.
More vaccine doses are “anticipated to be available in the near future,” the proclamation said, and the state is currently prioritizing vaccine distribution to ensure as many people as possible can receive the first dose before second vaccinations are given.
Those who believe they have contracted or been exposed to monkeypox should contact their health provider about the possibility of testing and vaccination.
This story was originally published August 1, 2022 at 4:46 PM.
