Monkeypox: New York governor declares state disaster emergency

New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Friday (July 29) issued an Executive Order declaring a ‘State Disaster Emergency’ in response to the ongoing monkeypox outbreak.

“The Executive Order enables the state to respond more swiftly to the outbreak and allows health care professionals to take additional steps that will help get more New Yorkers vaccinated,” the governor’s office said in a statement.

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“New York is now experiencing one of the highest rates of transmission in the country, with 1,383 cases reported in New York State as of July 29, 2022,” Governor Hochul stated in the Executive Order.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are 5,189 monkeypox cases in the US as of July 29.

“After reviewing the latest data on the monkeypox outbreak in New York State, I am declaring a State Disaster Emergency to strengthen our aggressive ongoing efforts to confront this outbreak,” she said.

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Hochul said more than one in four monkeypox cases in the US are in New York State.

“More than one in four monkeypox cases in this country are in New York State, and we need to utilize every tool in our arsenal as we respond. It’s especially important to recognize the ways in which this outbreak is currently having a disproportionate impact on certain at-risk groups. That’s why my team and I are working around the clock to secure more vaccines, expand testing capacity and responsibly educate the public on how to stay safe during this outbreak,” she said.

More than one in four monkeypox cases in this country are in New York, currently having a disproportionate impact on at-risk groups.

We are working around the clock to secure more vaccines, expand testing capacity, and educate New Yorkers on how to stay safe.

— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) July 30, 2022

On Thursday, Governor Hochul announced that the federal government had secured an additional 110,000 vaccine doses, resulting in a total of 170,000 doses to New Yorkers to date.

Also read: Monkeypox declared health emergency to prevent global crisis

“My team and I have been working around the clock to confront the monkeypox outbreak and keep New Yorkers safe, and we will continue our ongoing efforts to secure more vaccines, expand testing capacity, and educate the public on how to identify symptoms and protect themselves,” Hochul said on Thursday.

Recently, New York State Commissioner of Health Dr. Mary T. Bassett declared monkeypox an Imminent Threat to Public Health (ITPH) in New York State.