Although the Mpox outbreak in New York City declared terminated In February 2023, the city experienced a dramatic increase in cases, with 281 reported since January 2024, compared to 100 in 2023.

Although those numbers are far below the 3,822 cases in 2022, local advocacy groups – including Destination Tomorrow in the Bronx – are on alert due to the recent surge and are stepping up efforts to promote the vaccine, which is intended to help prevent it.

Sage Rivera, chief strategy officer for Destination Tomorrow, the district’s center for LGBTQIA services and education, said the 250 reported cases may actually be an undercount.

The organization is active in combating MPOX— formerly known as monkeypox—bbecause it primarily infects people between the ages of 25 and 44, blacks or Latinos, and members of the LGBTQ community.

But in the realm of sexually transmitted infections, many people are unaware of Mpox. “The biggest cause of the spread of this disease is ignorance,” Rivera told the Bronx Times.

Problem Description According to Scott Bertani, advocacy director for the National Coalition for LGBTQ Health, symptoms of Mpox typically appear seven to 17 days after infection and last two to four weeks.

Symptoms include a rash that initially looks like blisters or pimples but becomes very painful, as well as flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache and low energy, Bertani said. Although Mpox is not usually fatal, complications can occur, especially in people with weakened immune systems.

The vaccine is recommended for men who have close physical contact with men, including those who identify as trans, queer and nonbinary. But only about a quarter of those recommended have received it, even though it is “extremely highly effective” and offered in most doctor’s offices and care facilities, Bertani says.

“There is a lot to do in our community,” he said.

In 2022, Destination Tomorrow began a partnership with the city to offer the two-dose vaccination on-site, Rivera said. The organization has also created educational materials in English and Spanish designed to raise people’s awareness and communicate about Mpox in an understandable way.

“People felt safe” coming to Destination Tomorrow to get vaccinated because it was much easier than navigating a doctor’s office, Rivera said.

Much of Destination Tomorrow’s 2022 efforts are underway today. People who want to get vaccinated can still stop by to schedule a telehealth appointment or get a referral to a trusted medical partner.

Bertani said medical staff must approach the problems with MPOX with compassion and “without moralizing.”

“It is a global health problem that affects the world population,” he said.

Although infection numbers are far lower than in 2022, it would be a mistake to dismiss the 281 recent MPOX cases as insignificant, Rivera said.

“It is still worth staying vigilant,” they said. “It is enough if one person becomes infected.”

Reach Emily Swanson at [email protected] or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes