WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Top health leaders say we're far from another pandemic, but cases of monkeypox are not showing signs of going away.
"We're not seeing very [many cases], but it is contagious," Dr. Larry Bush of Wellington said.
The latest data from the Florida Department of Health shows 15 confirmed or probable cases of monkeypox cases in Broward County.
There are a total of 27 cases in the state, according to the latest figures from the CDC.
Despite that number in Broward County, there is just one case of confirmed or probable monkeypox in Palm Beach County.
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"It must be a group of people who are infected who had a lot of close contact," Bush said.
In New York City, an area that has close travel ties to South Florida, there are 48 reported cases.
However, doctors say that unlike COVID-19, monkeypox can be easily contained if those who have the rash, which is typically found on the hands and feet, isolate themselves from others.
"The patient who has a rash obviously knows they have a rash, and they should get that checked out and avoid other people at least until the rash is gone," Bush said.
At this point, health experts say the outbreaks of monkeypox are largely among gay men.
The disease is not considered to be an exclusively sexually transmitted disease but is rather spread by contact with the contagious rash.
A new vaccine for monkeypox was rolled out in New York and Washington, D.C., but it quickly ran out and is in short supply.
Doctors said the smallpox vaccine, which is kept in national storage, could be used if the outbreaks reach high numbers.
