SF declares local health emergency as monkeypox cases climb

As cases continue to climb across San Francisco, officials are declaring monkeypox a local public health emergency effective Monday.

Mayor London Breed made the announcement Thursday, saying that declaring the virus a local public health emergency enables city departments to quickly mobilize resources, expedite emergency planning and facilitate better internal coordination. The emergency declaration also allows for future state and federal reimbursements. 

The San Francisco Department of Public Health Thursday reported an additional 20 cases, bringing The City’s total up to 281 probable and confirmed cases. DPH reported the first probable monkeypox case on June 3.

During a press conference held at City Hall Thursday, DPH Director Dr. Grant Colfax said:

“Our Covid-19 response has taught us that it is imperative that we mobilize city resources rapidly. This declaration helps ensure that we have the tools available to augment our outreach, testing, vaccines and treatment.”

The mayor sent a letter last week to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra requesting the federal government send additional vaccine supply to prevent the virus spread of the virus. The City’s case total was 141 at the time of the letter was written.

Breed said at the press conference:

“By sounding the alarm, what we’re saying is this is not going to be ignored, that this is a public health crisis, that we are in desperate need of vaccines to support the people of San Francisco.”

Monkeypox vaccines have been hard to come by — DPH has had to close its clinic at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital due to limited supply.

Officials said Thursday that they received another 4,220 doses and will reopen the hospital’s vaccine clinic Monday from 8 a.m. to noon. They will reopen again each weekday at the same time as long as supply lasts. Doses will also be distributed to other clinics throughout The City.

The health department requested 35,000 doses of the vaccine as a starting point, but Breed said The City really needs twice that amount.

Anyone can contract monkeypox, but the virus is spreading more within the LGBTQ community. Public Health Officer Susan Philip said the virus is disproportionately impacting Latino gay men, bisexual men and trans individuals who have sex with men.

Symptoms of monkeypox can include a rash, sores that may look like pimples or blisters that can appear anywhere on skin on any part of the body.

An infected person can spread the virus through contact such as sex, kissing, breathing in close distance or by sharing bedding and clothing with an infected person.

San Francisco AIDS Foundation CEO Tyler TerMeer said he was sounding the alarm about the virus prior to last month’s Pride festivities, adding that the virus is causing “fear, distress, fear and anxiety” to the community:

“There will be unfortunate lasting consequences to our communities because the federal government is slow in an adequate response to this outbreak.”

The foundation has been administering limited vaccine supply through its Magnet clinic, though thousands of people remain on the waitlist, as TerMeer told supervisors at a hearing last week.

More information about monkeypox and vaccine availability can be found www.sf.gov/monkeypox.

Jerold Chinn

Jerold serves as a reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief for SFBay covering transportation and occasionally City Hall and the Mayor's Office in San Francisco. His work on transportation has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club. Born and raised in San Francisco, he graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism. Jerold previously wrote for the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization. When not reporting, you can find Jerold taking Muni to check out new places to eat in the city.