While MPX cases have started to slow in L.A. County and across California, officials are worried that disparities in cases and vaccine distribution are worsening.
But even as the rate of new cases slows, Singhal said disparities are growing among who is catching the virus and receiving the two-dose Jynneos vaccine.New monkeypox cases are starting to flatten in Los Angeles County, echoing a trend seen elsewhere as more vaccination doses are distributed and some people are reducing riskier sexual activity.
“Over time, a higher proportion of cases have been in the two lowest HPI quartiles, or the least healthy communities,” Singhal said. At the beginning of the outbreak, people living in communities with fewer resources for optimal public health made up roughly 30% of MPX cases, while those in communities with greater resources were initially more likely to contract the virus. But that flipped about two months later.
“To address the disparities in monkeypox case and vaccination rates among Latinx and Black populations, [the Department of] Public Health is working with community-based organizations to further define messaging and outreach for these populations,” Singhal said. “We are meeting with stakeholders on a weekly basis to hear feedback from focus groups on how best to reach these populations.”