Monkeypox in King County: Health estimate 20,000 people at high-risk

Public Health Seattle & King County estimates there are 20,000 people in the county who are considered high-risk for monkeypox. Another 20,000 are at moderate risk.

King County Health Officer Jeff Duchin said the department is focusing on getting those at high risk vaccinated first.

The county has received 9,160 doses, and the state said it's expected to receive more than 17,000 doses in the next few weeks.

Last week, the Washington State Department of Health said monkeypox cases doubling every week. As of this week the state reported that there have been 213 cases in the state and 180 of those cases are in King County.

This came after U.S. officials declared  it as a public health emergency.

Featured

Hundreds line up for monkeypox vaccines at first 'community' clinic in Seattle

Saturday, hundreds of people waited in line to get vaccinated for monkeypox at one of the first community vaccination clinics to be offered in Seattle and King County.

King County can order more doses from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Aug. 15.

Over the weekend, the county opened one of the first community vaccination clinics. More community vaccination events are in the works but specific details have not yet been released.

The FDA will allow health care providers to use 1/5 of a dose in order to get more people vaccinated.

Duchin said the county has not yet made a decision if they will stretch vaccines.