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No shortage of monkeypox tests, vaccines in Texas, health officials say

So far, Texas has recorded 20 confirmed cases with eight of them in the Houston area.

HOUSTON — Labcorp announced on Wednesday it will begin monkeypox testing, doubling the capacity nationwide.

So far, Texas has recorded 20 confirmed cases with eight of them in the Houston area.

All patients in the Lone Star State so far are men.

“It’s being primarily transmitted through networks of men who have sex with men at this point,” said Dr. Luis Ostrosky of UT Health Houston.

RELATED: Number of monkeypox cases reported in Texas grows to 20 with 8 in Houston area

However, anyone can get monkeypox. It spreads through skin-to-skin or prolonged face-to-face contact.

“This isn’t a disease that’s like COVID or like the flu or measles where having a short conversation with someone or interacting with somebody at the store, at work is going to spread it,” said Chris Van Deusen, the director of media relations with the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The viral illness includes many flu-like symptoms, plus a rash that looks like pimples or blisters. Doctors say that’s when patients are infectious.

A doctor or health care provider can connect patients with a test, depending on their history and symptoms.

“Testing is available,” said Van Deusen. “There’s no shortage of it.”

“We certainly have the ability to test as needed and then ramp up should we have a need, but I really don’t think that at this point we’re there yet,” said Dr. Ericka Brown, the local health authority for Harris County Public Health.

RELATED: No, the COVID-19 vaccine can’t give you monkeypox

There is a preventative vaccine that’s at least 85 percent effective if given within four days of exposure. It’s available on request from the national stockpile on an as-needed basis. That’s because the CDC has designated monkeypox as a “low risk” infection.

“So, that being said, there isn’t a need to vaccinate all of the general public at this time, and we don’t anticipate that in the future,” said Dr. Brown.

When asked whether there is enough vaccine available in the national stockpile to meet the demand, Van Deusen replied, “I can only sort of speak from the Texas perspective, and there is enough there for us right now.”

Van Deusen says estimates around 200 doses have gone out statewide, with close to half of those going to the Houston area.

Doctors say 90 percent of people infected with monkeypox recover without needing to be hospitalized. However, the illness can be very serious for the immunocompromised, the very young and old.

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