NY Gov. Hochul declares state emergency over monkeypox

[August 01, 2022]  (Reuters) - The governor of the State of New York Kathy Hochul late on Friday declared an emergency in the state over the continued spread of monkeypox.

"I am declaring a State Disaster Emergency to strengthen our ongoing efforts to confront the monkeypox outbreak," Hochul tweeted. https://bit.ly/3oFYEMB

She added that more than one in four monkeypox cases in the United States are in New York, also having a disproportionate impact on at-risk groups.

As of July 29, New York state had a total of 1,383 confirmed orthopoxvirus/monkeypox cases, according to New York Department of Health's website.

 A staff member of the Westchester Medical Center prepares a monkeypox vaccine in a drive-through monkeypox vaccination point at the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, New York, U.S., July 28, 2022. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo

Earlier on Friday, Brazil and Spain reported the first monkeypox-related deaths outside Africa.

The World Health Organization last week declared a global health emergency, its highest level of alert, over the monkeypox outbreak.

(Reporting by Juby Babu in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Chopra)

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