Department of Health creates monkeypox task force

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The Rhode Island Department of Health said Thursday it created a monkeypox task force to mitigate the virus.

The Department of Health said the task force works closely with healthcare providers, facilities, and communities to make sure residents are safe from monkeypox.

At this time, the state has reported four confirmed monkeypox cases.

“Current evidence from around the country suggests that the virus is spreading mostly through close, intimate contact with someone who has monkeypox,” noted the Department of Health in a release Thursday.

Gov. Dan McKee said that while the risk of monkeypox for most Rhode Islanders is low, the state is taking “this global outbreak very seriously.”

“If you think you’ve been exposed, or if you have symptoms or a rash. [The vaccine] can reduce those symptoms, reduce your transmissibility,” said Jeffrey Bratberg, a clinical professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Rhode Island. “Anyone who thinks they have it [should] get evaluated and get a vaccine. We’re going to have them in a couple of weeks, and your provider will know how to get a hold of them.”

The Department of Health said the several measures the task force is taking include: Performing case interviews, assessing cases to determine whether they are appropriate candidates for antiviral treatment, and partnering with community organizations and businesses that serve higher-risk populations on prevention education.

The monkeypox task force is made up of staff members from the Department of Health, including the office of immunization and the state health Laboratory.