Due to its increasing monkeypox outbreak, California on Monday evening became the most recent state to declare a state of emergency.
California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) stated in a statement that the proclamation is intended to support the state’s efforts to fight the virus.
“California is working urgently across all levels of government to slow the spread of monkeypox, leveraging our robust testing, contact tracing and community partnerships strengthened during the pandemic to ensure that those most at risk are our focus for vaccines, treatment and outreach,” Newsom said.
He added, “We’ll continue to work with the federal government to secure more vaccines, raise awareness about reducing risk, and stand with the LGBTQ community fighting stigmatization.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are currently about 5,000 confirmed cases of the monkeypox virus in the United States, with California and New York having the highest numbers.
Illinois comes in second place with 520 verified cases.