BALTIMORE — Monkeypox cases have been on the rise all over the country, including in Maryland.
According to the CDC, Maryland has 87 confirmed cases with 21 of those cases coming from the Baltimore area.
Maryland was allocated 3,300 doses of the vaccine by the CDC, of which Baltimore received 200 doses.
75 doses go to Chase Brexton, 60 are reserved for contact tracing for confirmed contacts and 65 are for Baltimore City Health Department clinics and services.
This comes after Montgomery County announced that they will begin offering vaccines to at-risk residents.
READ MORE: Montgomery Co. to begin offering monkeypox vaccines to at-risk residents
The CDC is only providing the vaccine doses based on a predetermined formula states and territories, and this is why neighboring jurisdictions with higher case counts are receiving more vaccines.
"Everyone in the healthcare space and Maryland providers, community advocates, elected officials, and state as well as local health departments are advocating for more doses for our residents," said Dr. Letitia Dzirasa, Baltimore Health Commissioner.
These doses are coming from a national stockpile exclusively under the federal government's control.
"I want to dispel the notion that there's a stockpile of shots that aren't being used," said Dzirasa. "We were given 200 doses, and we're actively working to distribute those 200 doses in an equitable way to the individuals at highest risk of contracting and spreading monkeypox here."
Monkeypox is usually transmitted through very close or intimate contact, and its symptoms include fever, rash, and flu like symptoms.
Anyone is susceptible to the virus no matter the race, gender or sexual orientation.
According to Dzirasa, the most at risk for the virus are sex workers, trans youth without without permanent housing and drug users that are having anonymous sex.
People have the chance to sign up sign up for the 60 appointments being offered at Chase Brexton.
