Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins is looking to increase the rollout of monkeypox vaccines to slow the virus' spread, according to an emergency declaration signed Aug. 5.

Jenkins said the county has 5,000 doses of the Jynneos monkeypox vaccine but is looking to receive more to limit the spread of monkeypox.

"I want to stress that this declaration is not a cause for panic," Jenkins said. "This is a declaration that we will use to try to open more doors to get vaccines faster, because we know ultimately vaccination is what we need to get monkeypox under control."

According to Phillip Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services, there are 224 confirmed monkeypox cases in Dallas County as of Aug. 8, more than any other county in Texas. Huang said there have been patients hospitalized in extreme cases of the virus but could not confirm an exact number.

Monkeypox can be spread through contact with body fluids, monkeypox sores, shared items that have been contaminated with fluids and sores of a person with monkeypox, according to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, swollen lymph nodes and general body aches before developing a rash.


Because of low vaccine numbers, Dallas County officials are limiting those who can access the vaccine. Residents who are eligible include persons who had close, intimate, skin-to-skin contact with someone who has tested positive for monkeypox and adult men who have sex with men and who have had multiple or anonymous sex partners in the past 14 days, according to the county's health website.

Monkeypox vaccinations are only available via appointment. County officials said those who meet the vaccination criteria are encouraged to call 972-692-2780 to schedule an appointment. All vaccinations are administered in an offsite location for patient confidentiality.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported there were more than 7,500 confirmed cases across the U.S. as of Aug. 5.

A confirmed case of monkeypox was first found in Dallas over the July Fourth weekend. According to a city press release, the confirmed case was an out-of-state visitor who was in town for the five-day Daddyland Festival.


More about the monkeypox virus can be found on the county's website.