LYNN — Congressman Seth Moulton, along with the remainder of the state’s congressional delegation, called on Gov. Charlie Baker Thursday to declare monkeypox a public health emergency in the Commonwealth.
The letter, signed by Moulton; Congressmen William Keating, Stephen Lynch, James McGovern, Jake Auchincloss, and Richard Neal; Sens. Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren; and Congresswomen Ayanna Pressley, Lori Trahan, and Katherine Clark, was sent just hours before the state reported an additional 45 cases of monkeypox, bringing the total reported since May 18, when the first case was announced, to 202.
The delegation urged the Commonwealth to follow in the Federal Government’s footsteps by taking a preventative measure to protect the public against a potential outbreak of the virus.
“To confront the ongoing monkeypox virus outbreak, we urge you to immediately declare a public health emergency in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. President Biden and Secretary Becerra of the Department of Health and Human Services have already declared a national public health emergency. By doing so at the state level, you will unlock resources to ensure that residents receive the urgent and robust response the moment demands,” the letter said.
In the letter, delegation members cited federal health professionals, arguing that the monkeypox cases currently reported are just “the tip of the iceberg” of a potentially larger health emergency.
“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 31,800 confirmed cases of monkeypox across the globe and more than 9,492 confirmed cases in the United States. The national outbreak is present in almost every state, and Massachusetts continues to have one of the highest case rates,” the letter said. “Public health experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, caution that these numbers are very likely an undercount and only represent the tip of the iceberg. By declaring a public health emergency, you will have greater flexibility and more tools to enact a whole-of-government response.”
In a separate written statement, Moulton said that the Commonwealth should learn from its experience with the COVID-19 pandemic how to preemptively handle a public health crisis. He added that the Commonwealth should serve as a model to the rest of the nation with regard to how it handles the outbreak.
“COVID taught us the perils of getting caught flat-footed in a public health emergency. Why risk that happening again? My colleagues and I are asking the governor to declare a public health emergency so that we can be as nimble, as well-equipped, and as collaborative as possible to successfully deal with this outbreak. Massachusetts is a national healthcare leader, we should be leading the country in how we respond to monkeypox as well,” Moulton said.
Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at [email protected].
