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Butte County monkeypox (MPX) cases rise to six, one local man shares his experience

Monkeypox virus, illustration.
Thomas Leach
/
Getty Images
Monkeypox virus, illustration.

Just over three months ago, public health authorities worldwide began to feel alarmed about the spread of monkeypox, now more frequently referred to as MPX to avoid stigmatizing naming conventions. MPX cases are rising in the United States, and the nation declared it a public health emergency in early August.

There are more than 22,000 confirmed cases in the United States, and that number continues to climb. Many cases are clustered in hotspots, including in New York and California. Over a million doses of the vaccine have been allocated nationwide.

Currently, there are six confirmed cases in Butte County, according to data from the California Department of Public Health updated Tuesday. NSPR spoke with one person recently diagnosed in the county. The individual asked not to be identified to keep their health information confidential.

At first, he said, he noticed just a bump, but the symptoms quickly worsened and led him to feel some excruciating pain.

"It started like a small raised and lightly colored halo-shaped crater, which I noticed on the shaft of my penis. It was painless, and it didn't itch, so I didn't think that it was a rash at the time," he said.

After developing the first lesion, a range of symptoms followed. First, he said he experienced fever and fatigue, followed by swollen lymph nodes at the groin. The individual was in isolation for five weeks.

"In the week that followed, that first lesion that I had grew into this open, puss-filled sore the size of a nickel, and along with that, my entire penis swelled in an unnatural and frightening way," he said.

While cases continue to rise across the states, finding information about testing, treatment, and vaccines remains challenging. Many who fear being infected are left to seek answers independently.

“One of the things that were the most aggravating aspects of this whole ordeal was not knowing what was wrong with me because it took an entire week for the monkeypox test results to come back to confirm that I had monkeypox,” he said.

He said that his experience with the Butte County Public Health Department was positive overall, but he still feels that there is a lack of awareness and access to treatment, which is failing the community.

For example, access to an antiviral medication called tecovirimat, or Tpoxx is slowly making its way through the major metropolitan areas but not in smaller rural areas.

“Because I'm pretty sure that if I did have access to that antiviral drug, then my whole experience would have been different, my symptoms would have been way less severe. And I probably would have healed quicker too,” he said.

Dr. Dave Canton, health officer for the Butte County Public Health Department, said that due to limited supply, those who meet the department’s criteria have priority for receiving Tpoxx. This includes those who have been in close contact with a confirmed case.

"We're also working with a number of providers in the community to get vaccines to them, so as they have people come in, who meet the criteria as established by CDPH and CDC for vaccination, that they'll have the vaccine and be able to vaccinate people in the office," Dr. Canton said.

Erin Cox, the division director for emergency preparedness and infectious disease control with Butte County Public Health, said the department follows all protocols established by the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The California Department of Public Health has been supporting all of the local health departments, including Butte County Public Health. They have, and host, bi-weekly calls about MPX where they provide updates. They also have incorporated a lot of the MPX updates into our COVID-19 calls.”

She said that the department guides the providers as necessary and educates the patients regarding isolation and infection prevention. She said they also conduct contact investigations and vaccinate when appropriate.

Although the vaccine is in short supply, Cox said the Butte County Public Health Department hopes to acquire another batch soon.

"We are hopefully expecting another, I believe, 46 vials that we're expecting from CDPH, but we don't have an anticipated delivery date on those yet," Cox said.

Cox also mentioned that those at higher risk of exposure could make an appointment through the state's MyTurn vaccination site.

In the meantime, others are left waiting, specifically those in the LGBTQ+ community, who must simultaneously fight the stigma associated with the disease, search for proper treatment, and clamor for what few supplies of MPX vaccines and antivirals are available.

The person who spoke with NSPR anonymously about their experience said more needs to be done to educate and support those most at risk of MPX, instead of stigmatizing them.

“Even though in my case, the health services in California did their best to help me, the unfortunate truth is that even in 2022, the gay community is still being failed by healthcare and government systems regarding access to monkeypox vaccines and antiviral treatments.”

Angel Huracha has been a part of the journalism field since 2006 and has covered a range of topics. He is a graduate of Chico State with a Bachelor's degree in news-editorial and public relations with a minor in English.