Posted on FlashAlert: July 21st, 2022 12:52 PM
Lane County, OR— Lane County Public Health (LCPH) will be sending weekly hMPXV updates every Thursday.
As of 7/21/22, there are:
3 Confirmed* Cases
7 Presumptive** Cases
4 Suspect*** Cases
*Confirmed cases are those that have tested positive for orthopox virus at a local lab AND tested positive for hMPXV through testing by Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
**Presumptive cases have tested positive for orthopox virus at a local lab but have not been confirmed for hMPXV by the CDC.
***Suspect cases are cases with exposure to a know hMPXV case and have presented with one or more symptoms but have not tested positive.
LCPH has designated a team of nurses, disease intervention specialists, and other public health professionals to address the cluater of hMPXV cases in Lane County. LCPH has received vaccines from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and is using the recommended selection criteria to do targeted outreach to those who qualify for preventative vaccination. LCPH continues to vaccinate those who have been exposed as they are identified. LCPH is working with local partners to reach these individuals as equitably as possible.
Thanks to the partnership between labs, LCPH, and OHA, local labs can now test for orthopox, helping expedite the identification of new cases in Lane County.
At this time, LCPH is focusing efforts on highest risk populations and believes the risk of contracting hMPXV for the general community is low.
If you have an unexplained rash, sores or other symptoms, see your primary care provider — if you don’t have a provider please call (541) 682-4041. Keep the rash covered and avoid sex or being intimate with anyone until you have been checked out.
George Custer lives in Oakridge with his wife Sayre. George is a former smokejumper from his hometown of Cave Junction, a former captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. and ran a construction company in Southern California. George assumed the volunteer duties as the Editor of the Highway 58 Herald in 2022. He loves riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, building all things wood, and playing drums on the weekends in his office.