Mayor Adams declares local state of emergency in NYC due to monkeypox outbreak

Concern about the spread of the monkeypox virus has reached a new level in New York City.

News 12 Staff

Aug 1, 2022, 12:43 PM

Updated 799 days ago

Share:

New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued an emergency executive order today declaring a local state of emergency in the city due to the monkeypox outbreak.
Adams released the following statement today: 
“As the monkeypox outbreak continues to grow in New York City and across the country, I am today issuing an emergency executive order declaring a local state of emergency. New York City now has over 1,200 reported cases, approximately 25 percent of cases nationally, and we are continuing to see the numbers rise. This order will bolster our existing efforts to educate, vaccinate, test, and treat as many New Yorkers as possible and ensure a whole-of-government response to this outbreak. In partnership with federal, state, and local officials we will continue to respond with the urgency required to keep people safe and this order is another tool to help us do so.” 
Concern about the spread of the monkeypox virus has reached a new level in New York City.
As Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency in New York, this emergency executive order allows the mayor to suspend local laws, and enact rules, as necessary, to protect the well-being and health of all New Yorkers.
The separate public health declaration of emergency issued on Saturday by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) allows DOHMH Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan to issue commissioner’s orders amending provisions of the New York City Health Code to protect public health and slow the spread.   
The label allows local governments more room to do what they can to slow rising case numbers.
Some of the initiatives these orders will do is make more health care professionals qualified to give out the vaccine and make getting the shot simpler.
Many New Yorkers and health care experts have said that the supply of the vaccine has not been able to keep up with demand.
New York City is expected to receive 80,000 doses of the vaccine in the coming weeks and months, which, along with the new orders, city leaders hope will keep cases at bay.
Health officials have said the city has been the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States.
The governor reports that one in four cases of monkeypox in the whole country are in New York.