DOH begins contact tracing after positive monkeypox case on BI

Contact tracing is underway in Hawaii County after its first confirmed case of monkeypox on Friday, bringing the statewide case count to eight.

Kaitlin Arita-Change, spokesperson for the state Department of Health, confirmed that “links to previously reported cases are being investigated.”

“DOH personnel are working to notify close contacts directly,” Arita-Chang said.

Whether it’s contact tracing for COVID-19 or tracking monkeypox exposure, the process can be difficult.

“As with any contact tracing activity, it can be difficult to reach all contacts, but we were able to identify contact lists for most cases and reached the majority of them,” the official said. State Epidemiologist Sarah Kemble. earlier this month. “There can always be people who end up being lost to sight, and so that’s part of the concern, to make sure that we also go beyond that and vaccinate potential contacts, trying to make sure that we address those most at risk.”

The number of close contacts varies depending on who tests positive.

“For some cases we’ve identified a number of close contacts, while for others it might be one or two, so it’s quite variable,” Kemble said. “We have been able to vaccinate close contacts so far.”

Hawaii was one of nine states to receive the first doses of the Jynneos monkeypox vaccine. As a result, close contacts of the Hawaii County case can receive the two-dose DOH vaccination.

“Vaccination will be offered to contacts as appropriate,” Arita-Chang said. “DOH personnel on the island of Hawaii have access to Jynneos.”

A total of 357 vaccine doses arrived for the state earlier this month, part of the expected 1.6 million doses the federal government plans to make available throughout the year.

“We are working with health care providers to make sure these people have access to vaccinations,” Assistant State Epidemiologist Nathan Tan said. “We expect to receive additional doses in the coming weeks.”

Nationally on Monday, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 605 cases of monkeypox in 34 states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Most people diagnosed with monkeypox suffer from mild to moderate illness, resulting in rashes and sores that are itchy and painful.

Infections usually begin within 21 days of exposure, beginning with flu-like symptoms such as fevers, headaches, muscle aches, chills, exhaustion and swollen lymph nodes before progressing to rashes and sores on hands, feet, chest, face or genitals.

The disease is spread primarily through close, intimate contact with bodily fluids, lesion material, or large respiratory droplets from a person with monkeypox. Droplets generally cannot travel more than a few feet, so prolonged face-to-face contact is necessary for infection.

With just one case on the island, Arita-Chang confirmed the risk for most Hawaii residents remains low.

“Anyone who has direct skin-to-skin contact or prolonged close contact with someone with monkeypox is at risk of infection,” she added. “It doesn’t matter who they are, what they do or if they are sexually active.”

If anyone thinks they’ve been exposed, Arita-Chang suggested contacting their healthcare provider.

“Be sure to call ahead and mention that you may have been exposed to monkeypox,” she said.

To mitigate the spread, Arita-Chang suggested many of the same tools that helped fight COVID.

“Many of the same measures that have protected us over the past two years with the COVID-19 pandemic also prevent the spread of other diseases, including monkeypox,” she said.

“This includes staying home if you are sick, washing your hands and limiting close personal contact with people showing symptoms of monkeypox.”

Email Grant Phillips at [email protected]