LOS ANGELES — Community health and LGBTQ rights leaders in California are demanding a much more aggressive response to monkeypox from government and health agencies, saying shortages of vaccines and limited public outreach are exacerbating the outbreaks.
Confirmed cases of monkeypox across California have climbed by 65% in the last week, from 85 to 141. There were 47 confirmed and probable cases of the virus in Los Angeles County as of Thursday — an almost 60% increase since last week — and in San Francisco, cases have more than doubled in a similar time frame, rising from 16 to 40.
While monkeypox is nowhere near as contagious as the coronavirus, officials said they are concerned about the increase in infections. The cases in both counties are spreading primarily among men who have sex with other men, health officials said, as has been the trend since the outbreak began in early May.
