Boulder Sentinel

Monkeypox continues to spread. New York City Mayor Eric Adams declares a state of emergency on Monday.

“New York City now has over 1,200 reported cases, approximately 25 percent of cases nationally, and we are continuing to see the numbers rise. This order will bolster our existing efforts to educate, vaccinate, test, and treat as many New Yorkers as possible.” Adams said in a statement.

A similar announcement was made by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who declared a state disaster emergency on Friday night over the growing monkeypox outbreak. On Saturday was issued a public health emergency declaration. Monkeypox was declared an “imminent threat to public health” on Thursday by The New York State Commissioner of Health .

New York has recorded the most cases of the virus nationwide —  1,345.

This emergency declaration allows Adams to suspend some local laws and enact new rules in order to protect the health of city residents and hopefully control the virus’s spread.

On the state level, Hochul said, the declaration could lead to a swifter public health response and better vaccine distribution. It was enacted through executive order and allows EMS personnel, pharmacists, midwives, physicians and certified nurse practitioners to administer vaccines, the governor’s office said.

The importance of getting vaccines to the communities most affected is greatly emphasized by Hochul.

the Department of Health and Human Services said on Thursday that all but 1% of monkeypox cases so far are people who were assigned male at birth.

It is known that Monkeypox spreads through close physical contact, and the most common symptoms include a rash with lesions — reported in 99% of U.S. cases so far — fever and swollen lymph nodes. Some patients have also reported chills, headache and muscle pain. Also, the illness can last as long as four weeks.