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Monkeypox declared imminent threat in New York as more vaccine doses are secured

New York State Department of Health Commissioner Mary Bassett
WAMC screenshot
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WAMC screenshot
New York State Department of Health Commissioner Mary Bassett

New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett has declared monkeypox an imminent threat to public health.

It comes as Governor Kathy Hochul says the state will receive an additional 110,000 monkeypox vaccine doses from the federal government, with 80,000 going to New York City. The doses are expected within the next six weeks and are on top of 60,000 doses received to date.

Hochul, a Democrat, says more than a quarter of all U.S. cases are in New York City.

Bassett says the virus has spread rapidly and affected primarily gay men, and the declaration allows localities to administer vaccines and receive state and federal funding and reimbursements.

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