19 cases in 2 weeks renews effort to bolster access to Jynneos shot – OHA release – PORTLAND, Ore. – An increase in Oregon cases of mpox – formerly known as monkeypox or hMPXV – over the last two weeks is a reminder that the virus has not gone away and that people should remain vigilant in protecting themselves from infection. Health care providers are urged to keep mpox in mind when seeing patients with consistent symptoms regardless of reported risk, an Oregon Health Authority (OHA) physician says. Tim Menza, M.D., Ph.D., senior health adviser for OHA’s mpox response, says the state’s number of mpox cases peaked in early August and has since dropped from 10 to 15 cases diagnosed per week at the height of the outbreak to just two to three cases per week in the last month. However, 19 cases of mpox have been reported to local public health departments since Nov. 9. Oregon now has 259 mpox cases, including two pediatric cases. Infection rates are highest among people living in Multnomah County, those ages 30 to 39 and members of the Latinx and Black/African communities. Most cases identify as gay or bisexual men.
