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'No reason for alarm' on monkeypox, Gov. Beshear says

This 2003 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a monkeypox virion, obtained from a sample associated with the 2003 prairie dog outbreak. Monkeypox, a disease that rarely appears outside Africa, has been identified by European and American health authorities in recent days. (Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Russell Regner/CDC via AP)
Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Russell Regner/AP
/
CDC
This 2003 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a monkeypox virion, obtained from a sample associated with the 2003 prairie dog outbreak. Monkeypox, a disease that rarely appears outside Africa, has been identified by European and American health authorities in recent days. (Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Russell Regner/CDC via AP)

Gov. Andy Beshear said the state is prepared to handle any outbreaks of monkeypox, telling reporters the disease shouldn't be compared with COVID-19.

While the state's public health commissioner did recently brief local officials on monkeypox, the governor downplayed any comparison to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic — noting there are few cases in the U.S. and the disease requires intense close contact to spread.

Beshear had this to say about treating any potential outbreak.

"We already have treatments for monkeypox if it becomes necessary. The smallpox vaccine works very well on it. It's just we'd eradicated smallpox, so people under a certain age haven't had that. So we are watching it. There is no reason for alarm."
Gov. Andy Beshear

Meanwhile, on the COVID front, the state continues to see an escalation in its positivity rate and new case numbers, but hospitalizations are only ticking up slightly and ventilator usage remains flat.

"There is more COVID going around right now. I think we all see that and we all know people who are getting it," Beshear said. "It is not making people as sick and that is a function of a couple of things"
— those being a less aggressive variant circulating and a better protected populace thanks to vaccinations and any immunity brought on by previous infections.

Josh James fell in love with college radio at Western Kentucky University's student station, New Rock 92 (now Revolution 91.7). After working as a DJ and program director, he knew he wanted to come home to Lexington and try his hand in public radio.