ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Department of Health is hosting a virtual town hall Tuesday evening to discuss the status of the monkeypox virus in St. Louis.
The town hall is open to the public will be held online at 6 p.m. To register and for more information, click here.
Public Health Director Dr. Matifadza Hlatshwayo Davis, Director will give an update to the current status of the virus in the city. Stigma, misinformation and prevention will also be discussed.
Following the update, there will be a question and answer session. Questions may be submitted through the Eventbrite website or by emailing to health@stlouis-mo.gov.
Monkeypox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms but milder. While rarely fatal, it can cause symptoms such as:
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches and backache
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Chills
- Exhaustion
- Pimple- or blister-like rashes
The virus can spread through prolonged skin-to-skin contact, including hugging, cuddling and kissing, as well as sharing bedding, towels and clothing.
On Aug. 4, the federal government declared a public health emergency to bolster the response to the monkeypox outbreak.
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has designated St. Louis County Health Department to act as the region's vaccine hub for St. Louis City and St. Louis County, St. Charles, and Jefferson County.
For more information on monkeypox in St. Louis, visit stlouis-mo.gov/monkeypox.