The New York City Department of Health confirmed Friday the city’s first reported case of juvenile monkeypox.
The confirmation comes as cases remain high across the district, with the city reporting 2,888 cases as of Friday night.
As the city continues to roll out efforts to ensure vaccine accessibility, parents are simply nervous.
“You don’t know what kind of environment they’re going to be in when their kids come home, when they come home,” said one of the worried parents. Elaida Ramos says, “I don’t know if other people are as cautious as you are. You don’t know what they’re bringing into the classroom.”
New York City Health Director Dr. Ashwin Vasan said in a statement: We understand families’ concerns, but we also know that the overall exposure risk for urban children remains very low.
Health officials say this first reported case of juvenile monkeypox is linked to domestic contact.
Officials say not all rashes and sores are monkeypox and can have a variety of causes, including insect bites, pimples, allergic reactions and other infections.
Concerned families should have their child evaluated by a clinician for rashes and illnesses.
This reported case comes just five days after the first juvenile case was reported in New York state. The report did not specify the child’s age or the county where the case was reported.
New York continues to lead the nation with more than 17,000 monkeypox cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Ramos says it’s nerve-wracking to send kids back to school from COVID-19 until they catch colds. She says it’s important that her parents remain vigilant.
“Do everything you can to keep your children safe. Keep your mask on when you’re in close proximity to others, and make sure your kids wear masks at school.” Please,” recommends Ramos.
According to the CDC, preventative steps for monkeypox include:
– Avoid close skin-to-skin contact with anyone who may have a rash.
– Avoid contact with objects and materials used by monkeypox patients.
– Wash your hands frequently.