There have been at least nine mpox cases reported in Cuyahoga County — which encompasses Cleveland and surrounding suburbs — since February, health officials said April 25.
All of the reported cases were among people aged 17 to 44, most of whom are men, county health officials told USA Today. Health officials said diagnostic testing and the two-dose Jynneos vaccine are available through local medical providers and at county health department clinics.
"The Ohio Department of Health is working with our local partners in Cuyahoga County and the city of Cleveland health departments to identify cases, as well as provide guidance regarding vaccinations of at-risk populations," a spokesperson for the department told the news outlet. "ODH is also sharing prevention messages that the local health departments may use in their communities."
Providers should keep mpox as part of their differential diagnosis and ensure patients with lesions and/or a rash are tested, the Cuyahoga County Board of Health said.
Mpox primarily affects men who have sex with men, though anyone can contract the disease. The virus that causes the disease is part of the same family as the virus that causes smallpox. The U.S. saw an outbreak in 2022, with more than 32,000 cases reported through the end of 2023.