Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
New York declares monkeypox an 'imminent threat,' announces a boost in vaccine supply
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Jul 28, 2022
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Mary Altaffer / AP/Shutterstock
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Jul 28, 2022
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
New York declared the monkeypox virus an imminent threat to public health Thursday and announced a big boost in supply of the vaccine used to fight its spread.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said 80,000 doses of the monkeypox vaccine are going to New York City, and an additional 30,000 to the rest of the state, courtesy of the federal government.
The hard-to-source vaccine doses will be distributed over the next four to six weeks.
The announcement came as State Health Commissioner Mary Bassett announced she had declared the outbreak an imminent threat to public health. The designation allows local health departments combatting the virus to access additional funds for reimbursement once other state and federal funding sources dry up. The move also reflects the rising concern of public health officials about the spread of the disease, particularly in New York City.
As of Thursday, a combined 1,251 people had tested positive for monkeypox in the five boroughs, the city health department said on Twitter. Statewide, there have been 1,341 confirmed cases, according to the state health department. Nationwide, some 4,900 cases have been reported, though many public health officials believe the actual number is higher.
"With more than one-quarter of all cases in the U.S., New Yorkers, and especially our LGBTQ+ community, remain among the hardest-hit,” Hochul said. “We will continue to advocate to the federal government for our fair share of vaccines based on the disease burden impacting New York."
The World Health Organization on Saturday declared the monkeypox outbreak a global emergency, with more than 16,000 cases reported across 74 countries. The White House has announced a series of steps to fight the viral disease; it has not declared the outbreak an emergency.
In New York, Health Commissioner Bassett said, the declaration “means that local health departments engaged in response and prevention activities will be able to access additional State reimbursement, after other Federal and State funding sources are maximized, to protect all New Yorkers and ultimately limit the spread of monkeypox in our communities.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, monkeypox virus is part of the same family of viruses as smallpox, but milder and rarely fatal. Symptoms include fever, headaches, muscle aches, and a rash resembling pimples or blisters, appearing on the face, inside the mouth and on other parts of the body.
It can spread from person-to-person through direct contact with an infectious rash, scabs, or body fluids, and through respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact, such as during "kissing, cuddling, or sex," according to the CDC. It also can be transmitted by touching items, such as clothing and linens, that came in contact with the infectious rash or bodily fluids.
Tagged
monkeypox
public health
Hochul
Catalina Gonella
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Oct 16, 2026 at 4:22 p.m. ET
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
News
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
Inside the plan to fix the nearly collapsed Pfizer Building, 1/64th of an inch at a time
By
David Brand
School bus carrying autistic students got lost in Brooklyn for 4 hours last year
By
Jessica Gould
NYC’s bridges can last 'forever,' if we take care of them
By
Clayton Guse
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .