City health officials announced on Wednesday, Feb. 1, an end to the MPV [monkeypox / “mpox”] outbreak. The news comes as transmission remains “very low” in the City for two consecutive months health officials said, adding that the declaration followed the successful vaccination of more than 100,000 New Yorkers, and community partnerships in education and behavior change.

 

The City had been the epicenter of the outbreak last year but according to health officials, DOH launched a number of successful response strategies to curb transmission. The declaration of the end of the outbreak also comes as the U.S. public health emergency expired on Jan. 31.

 

In the context of the announcement, the City’s health commissioner, Dr. Ashwin Vasan, said the end of the MPV outbreak was a moment of pride in public health for the City, and represented the best of science and society coming together for what was described as quick action. “Our City vaccinated more than 100,000 people and was the first in the nation to pilot effective strategies, driving both public awareness and official response strategies,” Vasan said.

 

He added, “Combined with widespread and deep community partnerships, leadership from affected communities and advocates, and the steadfast engagement of providers and many others, we have dramatically reduced transmission, and are better prepared for future outbreaks. New York City took bold action early and throughout this outbreak, and together helped turn the tide and mobilize the nation.”

 

The news was also welcomed by Andrew B. Wallach, MD, FACP, ambulatory care chief medical officer at NYC Health + Hospitals, who said when the MPV outbreak began spreading in New York City, its public hospital system mobilized its facilities and launched a mobile vaccination fleet to bring the vaccine to all New Yorkers without exception.

 

“Our community vaccine hubs and mobile vaccine clinics have met people where they are, as they are, removing barriers to ensure those who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ communities receive the full protection of the vaccine and the culturally-responsive, gender-affirming care they deserve,” he said. As previously reported, people who are not members of the LGBTQ+ community can also contract MPV.

 

Wallach added, “We are proud to have played a critical role in the City’s successful mpox response and thankful to all the frontline healthcare workers, engagement teams and community partners who worked so tirelessly to keep their fellow New Yorkers safe.”

 

Over the course of the 2022 outbreak, City health officials said more than 155,000 doses of the MPV vaccine were administered in New York City alone, and the number of vaccines administered in New York City exceeded the amount administered in 49 U.S. states. Only California administered more, at more than 289,000 doses, followed by New York City, and then the State of Florida, at around 92,000 doses, health officials said.

 

In partnership with community, health officials said the City introduced a vaccination strategy that was followed nationally. In June 2022, using limited vaccine doses allocated to the City from the federal government, they said New York became the first jurisdiction to launch “extended PEP” vaccination clinics around Pride week, which opened vaccination to New Yorkers at risk of having had recent exposure to the virus, rather than limiting vaccination to people who were known contacts of someone diagnosed with MPV.

 

Health officials added that this vaccine strategy, described by health officials as “innovative,” opened a path for expanded vaccination access across the City and country. In addition, in response to concerns [around stigma] from health partners, health officials said New York City was the first jurisdiction to call for an official change of the name “monkeypox virus” to MPV, even before the WHO’s decision to update the name to “mpox.”

 

Health officials said the City also worked to combat inequities in access to healthcare, homophobia, transphobia, racism in healthcare through a range of strategies that informed the federal government’s response to the outbreak. Norwood News reported previously on various initiatives taken locally in the borough, including the opening of a mass vaccination site at Bronx High School of Science, townhalls and other educational events held in The Bronx to counter negative stereotyping around the outbreak.

Health officials said citywide strategies included ZIP code-reserved, vaccination appointments made through the City’s online platform, for those living in areas with a high concentration of other health and socioeconomic disparities, and millions of dollars in funding allocated to community groups who promoted and connected New Yorkers to vaccinations. They said there was also a specific focus on reaching LGBTQ+ residents in communities that had a high percentage of health and other socioeconomic disparities.

 

Health officials highlighted that the contributions of and engagement with the LGBTQ+ community were critical to the City’s response and its overall success and effectiveness in combating MPV. Between June and December 2022, they said the City’s MPV community engagement team participated in nearly 600 events. They said dedicated outreach was carried out at bars, circuit parties, sex/play parties, and community health fairs and other events. In the end, they said nearly 50,000 people were engaged with information about MPV, including prevention strategies and the scheduling of first and second vaccine doses.

 

In addition, in coordination with the health department, health officials said NYC Health + Hospitals mobilized public hospitals and mobile vaccination clinics to administer over 16,000 doses of the MPV vaccine at locations that prioritized access and equity for New Yorkers most at risk of MPV exposure.

 

Established in consultation with LGBTQ+ community advocates and partners, health officials said the mobile program administered vaccinations at more than 70 unique sites, including at Pride and wellness centers, health clinics and youth and adult shelters. They added, “Community-guided mobile clinics established at LGBTQ+ centered events, including parties with close physical or sexual contact and high-risk of MPV transmission, vaccinated as many as 40 to 60 percent of event attendees.”

 

Health officials said these sites ensured MPV vaccines were available at trusted, accessible locations for New Yorkers most at risk of exposure and at sites that welcomed people in the commercial sex trade as well as patients with HIV who may have been discriminated against or stigmatized, when seeking care.

 

The health department also released a final MPV data report on the 2022 outbreak. According to the report, from May 19 through Dec. 31, 2022, there were 3,821 MPV cases in New York City, which fell from a peak of around 70 cases per day to a 7-day average of zero through much of January 2023. The majority of cases were among people who identified as LGBQ+.

 

Nearly 35 percent of cases were experienced by New Yorkers who identified as Hispanic/Latino, around 27 percent of cases were experienced by those who identified as Black/African American, and 22.4 percent of cases were experienced by those who self-identified as White; while 3.6 percent of cases were among Asian American and Pacific Island individuals, and 1.7 percent were among those who self-identified as ‘another race.’

 

Health officials said that although the outbreak is over, MPV transmission continues to occur at a low level in New York City, and warn that healthcare providers should continue to test patients for MPV when they present with symptoms of the virus.

 

They said NYC Health + Hospitals continues to offer MPV vaccinations by appointment as well as testing and treatment at its 11 acute ambulatory clinics and five Pride Health Centers, co-located at Metropolitan, Bellevue, Lincoln, Woodhull, and Jacobi hospitals, as well as the East New York, Gouverneur, Judson and Vanderbilt Gotham Health facilities.

 

To date, they said NYC Health + Hospitals has administered approximately 11,000 first doses and 1,800 second doses of the MPV vaccine, tested approximately 3,000 patients, and treated over 280 people in its outpatient, inpatient and emergency department facilities.

 

New Yorkers seeking care for suspected MPV should call their health care provider immediately. For those who do not have one, they can call 311 to get connected to an NYC Health + Hospitals location or to access NYC Health + Hospital’s Virtual ExpressCare. New Yorkers can also visit the NYC Health Map to find a nearby provider. Care is available in New York City regardless of immigration status, insurance coverage, or ability to pay.

 

People at risk of MPV can access vaccination through their providers or go to https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/. New Yorkers who received their first dose are strongly advised to get their second doses of the vaccine.