Here & Now

Dr. Ryan Westergaard on Fighting the Spread of Monkeypox

Frederica Freyberg:

In health news, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has now declared monkeypox a public health emergency with more than 10,000 cases reported nationally. Here in Wisconsin the state Department of Health Services is prioritizing vaccine doses that are in short supply. Chief Medical Officer and State Epidemiologist Dr. Ryan Westergaard is here with an update. Nice to see you, doctor.

Ryan Westergaard:

Nice to be back with you.

Frederica Freyberg:

What is the status with monkeypox in Wisconsin? How many cases are there at week’s end and how fast are they climbing?

Ryan Westergaard:

Yeah, we are in a bit of an acceleration phase, but cases are still relatively low. Nationwide in the U.S., there’s over 10,000 cases that have been reported. In Wisconsin, the number is only 40, and that includes cases detected in ten out of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. But it’s picked up this week in comparison to last week and we are expecting to see some more.

Frederica Freyberg:

What is monkeypox, exactly?

Ryan Westergaard:

Monkeypox is a virus that is a cousin of the smallpox virus which of course used to cause a lot of severe disease, but we’ve eradicated through vaccination. Monkeypox is naturally found in some animal populations, which is where it got its name and it has spilled over into human populations various times, including about 2002, 2003 there was an outbreak in the Midwest. This particular monkeypox outbreak is different. Although it’s not specifically considered a sexually transmitted disease, it’s spreading that way in this current global outbreak affecting predominantly men who identify as gay or bisexual.

Frederica Freyberg:

Why is that? Why are gay men in the high-risk group?

Ryan Westergaard:

I think it’s because that’s where it started. The initial infections in people were among men who had traveled, who had attended large gatherings where a lot of close skin to skin or intimate contact was taking place, and it spread throughout those social and sexual networks around the world. So I think it’s important that that — the group of men who have sex with men or identify as gay or bisexual know they are at highest risk but also important for the general public to know anyone is susceptible to this. People who are household contacts, if they come into close contact with a person, or even with towels or linens that are shared can contract this virus. So it’s something everyone should know about.

Frederica Freyberg:

How dangerous is it if you get it?

Ryan Westergaard:

It’s not pleasant, but so far in the United States, there have been no fatal cases. There have been a number that have caused hospitalization primarily because of the need for pain control. The skin lesions can be quite painful. They can, particularly in the current outbreak, affect the genital area, and some people have required hospitalization for pain control. It’s particularly dangerous in younger patients, pregnant people, and people with suppressed immune systems. So before this current outbreak, we thought we heard the estimate about a 1% mortality. So it certainly can cause severe disease, but these days it’s predominantly affecting younger and healthy men. We haven’t seen much in the way of severe disease and no deaths so far, thankfully.

Frederica Freyberg:

As for vaccines, they are in short supply and now being stretched. What’s the situation in Wisconsin?

Ryan Westergaard:

We have administered just under 1,000 doses to people who are at the highest risk, and that includes people who we have determined through public health investigations have been exposed to a person with known monkeypox or people who are at high risk, again, that population of men who have had multiple sex partners. So we’re trying to get the word out and trying to support all the clinical partners and providers around the state to get this new vaccine, which is called JYNNEOS, out into this population and get as many of the highest risk people for the monkeypox virus vaccinated. We had some good news this week that we are able to stretch the vaccine supply by giving it at a smaller dose through a different route and that’s based on good science showing it is just as effective as the traditional larger dose route, so we are optimistic we have enough vaccine to reach the people who are at the greatest risk right now.

Frederica Freyberg:

On COVID-19, there is new relaxed guidance from the CDC. Does Wisconsin expect to follow that?

Ryan Westergaard:

Yes, we do, and we’re working with partners as we have all along in school systems and universities and businesses to spread the word about the new guidance, which predominately — I guess the most important one is that we’re doing away with quarantine. These days after this new guidance, people who have been exposed to a person with COVID-19 in your household or out in the community, they don’t need to stay home necessarily but do want them to wear masks. With this new guidance in the fall and the cold and flu season coming upon us, our hope is that we see people adhering to this new guidance and wearing masks a lot more when you find out you’ve been exposed to someone.

Frederica Freyberg:

Dr. Ryan Westergaard, thank you very much.

Ryan Westergaard:

Nice to be with you.