LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — To help keep Michiganders up to date on monkeypox and the state’s response to the virus, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has launched a new website at Michigan.gov/mpv.
The site provides information about the signs and symptoms of MPV, number of cases in the state by county, information for health care providers about testing and coordinating with local health departments; treatment, and other resources for the public and providers.
“MDHHS is working closely with our federal partners, local health departments and health care providers across the state in response to this outbreak,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive. “MPV is a viral illness that spreads primarily through direct contact with the infectious rash, scabs, bodily fluids or prolonged face-to-face contact. It is important to remember that the risk to the general public is low. However, Michiganders with concerns about MPV should see their provider to be evaluated for testing.”
There are no treatments specifically for MPV infections. However, MPV and smallpox viruses are genetically similar, which means that antiviral drugs and vaccines developed to protect against smallpox can be used to prevent and treat MPV infections.
States are receiving vaccine allocations from the Strategic National Stockpile in accordance with the number of MPV cases and the size of the underlying at-risk population. Michigan has received a limited supply of the vaccine, JYNNEOS. Additional limited allocations will follow in the next few months, but specific quantities and timelines are not yet known. The federal government continues to purchase vaccine, but JYNNEOS is not likely to become broadly available in the near-term.
Treatments for MPV have not been pre-deployed to states by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and will continue to be available through the Strategic National Stockpile. Clinicians evaluating MPV patients should be aware of the clinical considerations and process of requesting TPOXX (Tecovirimat) for their patients.
For more information, visit Michigan.gov/MPV or CDC.gov/monkeypox.
