Mpox is a virus that is generally spread through close or intimate contact, with symptoms that include a rash and fever. It can also spread through contact with objects that a person with mpox has used, like clothes and linens. It is much less transmissible than fast-spreading respiratory diseases like COVID-19. Any person can contract mpox, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
The general threat of mpox to the public is considered LOW at this time. As cases increase, we’re asking the community to be aware of how mpox spreads and practice prevention methods recommended by the CDC.
April 2023 Update: “The CDC received reports of 52 total US deaths among individuals with confirmed or probable mpox, with 38 classified as mpox-associated. Three deaths were confirmed to not be mpox-associated, and 11 deaths are still being investigated.”
Texas Counties are grouped into eight Public Health Regions. (We’ve included a map of these regions below) Vaccines are distributed to each Public Health Region, depending on their population and number of confirmed cases. To obtain vaccines, counties send requests to DSHS. DSHS then requests vaccines from the Federal Government. The Federal Government then fulfills orders based on vaccine availability, number of confirmed cases, and state population. Vaccine shipments get sent to DSHS and the department decides how to distribute vaccines among counties in each Public Health Region.
| Public Health Region | County | Information |
|---|---|---|
| Lubbock (Region 1) | Lubbock County | There is currently no information on vaccine eligibility criteria on the City of Lubbock Public Health website. Contact the City of Lubbock Public Health Department Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm at 806-775-2933. Email: publichealth@mylubbock.us Monkeypox Quarantine and Isolation Guidance: https://ci.lubbock.tx.us/storage/images/c66qTXxXZSUbzvD9KgtQtx5sHWtrSNO5v45pFV4A.pdf 21-Day Symptom Log: https://ci.lubbock.tx.us/storage/images/O8olHvE5MB2niENLGnLnv8sy95i62NkMzSOSOcxU.pdf Home Disinfection for Monkeypox: https://ci.lubbock.tx.us/storage/images/Dri1ieyYAF4xvue3JA87qFJg99GfgDKvN9V2r09i.pdf |
| Hale County | There is currently no information on vaccine eligibility on Plainview's website: https://www.plainviewtx.org/140/Health-Department Contact the Plainview health department at 806-293-1359. |
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| Potter County (Including Amarillo) | If you think you were exposed to Monkeypox, please contact Amarillo Public Health immediately at (806) 378-6321 OR (806)378-6300. Free testing is available on a case by case basis through the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) lab. Please contact Amarillo Public Health or your local health department to learn more about testing through the state lab. Turnaround time is currently 24hrs. More information here: https://www.amarillo.gov/departments/public-health/communicable-disease/monkeypox |
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| Arlington (Region 2/3) | Collin County | At this time, Collin County Health Care Services is focusing its vaccination efforts on individuals that meet one of the following criteria: - Have had close contact within the last 14 days with someone diagnosed with MPV - Have received a notification of potential exposure to someone with MPV in the past 14 days - Have multiple OR anonymous sexual partners within the past 21 days - Have a sexual partner showing symptoms of MPV, like rash or sores - Have had a diagnosis of HIV/Chlamydia/Gonorrhea/Syphilis within the past 12 months - Are currently on PrEP - Have a condition that increases their risk for severe disease if infected with MPV, such as HIV, atopic dermatitis, or eczema Link to the vaccine sign-up process: https://collin.jotform.com/222282128743959 More information here: https://www.collincountytx.gov/healthcare_services/Pages/news.aspx |
| Dallas County | Vaccines remain in low supply and can only be offered to people who meet one of the below criteria. Vaccines can only be offered to: - Persons who had close, intimate, skin-to-skin contact with someone who has tested positive for monkeypox. - Men (cis- and transgender) 18+ who have sex with men who have had multiple or anonymous sex partners in the past 14 days. - Men (cis- and transgender) and trans women who have sex with men who met partners through an online website, digital application ("app"), or social event, such as a bar or party in the past 14 days. If you suspect you are at high risk, you may call (972) 692-2780. Monkeypox testing is available at Prism Health (214) 623-6830 and at Parkland Hospital, for Parkland patients only (214) 590-8000. Before seeking testing, please call the provider first as they may have specific directions (some locations require appointments). Be sure to wear a mask, long pants, and a long sleeve shirt when you arrive for testing. More information here: https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/dchhs/monkeypox.php Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.dallascounty.org/Assets/uploads/docs/hhs/monkeypox/Monkeypox-FAQ-7-17-2022-Revised-PH-107830.pdf Dallas County includes Garland, Irving, Lancaster, Richardson, Rowlett etc. |
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| Denton County | Monkeypox vaccination is currently allocated for the following individuals: 1. Known contacts who are identified by public health via case investigation, contact tracing, and risk exposure assessments 2. Presumed contacts who may meet the following criteria: - Men who has sex with men and have had multiple or anonymous partners in the past 14 days - People who've had a sexual partner in the past 14 days that was showing symptoms of MPV - People with a diagnosis of HIV/Chlamydia/Gonorrhea/Syphilis in the past 1 months - People on PrEP At this time, DCPH will offer vaccination to Denton County residents. Individuals who reside outside Denton County should contact their local or regional health department regarding vaccine eligibility and availability. If you have additional questions about Monkeypox, contact Denton Public Health at PublicHealth@DentonCounty.gov. More information here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/312127f7ae6246878c13687e6ddb33ee |
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| Kent County | Contact Aurelia Schmalstieg, Regional Medical Director, at 817-264-4500. | |
| Scurry County | Contact Dana L. Hartmen, Health Unit Director, at 325-573-3508. | |
| Nolan County | Contact Sweetwater-Nolan County Health Department at 325-235-5463. Website: https://nolancountyhealth.com/ | |
| Stonewall County | Contact James A. Zoretic,Public Health Regional Director, at 817-264-4500. Website: https://www.stonewallcounty.org/page/stonewall.Public.Health | |
| Brown County | Contact Brownwood-Brown Health Department Immunizations at 325-646-0554. Website: https://www.brownwoodtexas.gov/199/Brownwood-Brown-County-Health-Department |
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| Taylor County | Contact Abilene Taylor County Public Health District at 325-692-5600. Website: https://abilenetx.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1559 | |
| Tarrant County | There is currently no information on vaccine eligibility on Tarrant County Public Health's website: https://www.tarrantcounty.com/monkeypox To contact Tarrant County Public Health, call 817-321-4700. Mon.-Fri. 8:00AM-6:00PM. |
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| Grayson County | Contact Emergency Disease Reporting at 903-821-5027. Website: https://www.co.grayson.tx.us/page/health.home | |
| Hunt County | Contact Hunt County Health Department at 903-455-4433. | |
| Wichita County | Contact Lou Kreidler, Director of Health, at 940-761-7800. Website: https://www.wichitafallstx.gov/55/Health-District | |
| Navarro County | Contact Navarro Health Department at 903-874-6731. | |
| Tyler (Region 4/5) | Smith County | No information available currently about the county process but folks can call the Public Health 4/5 Region at: (903) 595-3585 |
| Anderson County | Contact Timothy E. Wright, Public Health Director, at 502-839-4551. Website: https://achdonline.org/ | |
| Bowie County | Contact Texarkana-Bowie County Family Health Center at 903-798-3250. Link to Health Center: http://ci.texarkana.tx.us/391/Health | |
| Cherokee County | Contact Cherokee County Department of Public Health, Disease Surveillance Branch, at 903.586.6191 Website: http://cctxphd.org/ | |
| Gregg County | Contact Reportable Diseases 24/7 at 903-237-2605 Website: https://www.co.gregg.tx.us/health-welfare | |
| Wood County | Contact Indigent Health Care at 903-763-4956. Website: https://www.mywoodcounty.com/page/ihc | |
| Angelina County | Contact Health Department at acchdadmin@acchd.us or 936-633-1442. Website: https://www.acchd.us/health-concerns/monkeypox-/ | |
| Jasper County | Contact Jasper Newton County Public Health District Office at 409-384-6829. Website: https://www.jaspernewton.org/ | |
| Orange County | Contact Liz Smith, Public Health Emergency Planner, at 409-670-4135. Website: https://www.co.orange.tx.us/public-health | |
| South Houston (Region 6/5) | Brazoria County | Currently Brazoria County is only tracking cases on their website but does not have information on vaccine eligibility. https://www.brazoriacountytx.gov/departments/health-department/monkey-pox/ Local clinics and their contact information can be found here: https://www.brazoriacountytx.gov/departments/health-department/contact-us |
| Chambers County | Contact Chambers County Public Health at 409-267-2731. Website: https://www.co.chambers.tx.us/page/health.department | |
| Fort Bend County | Contact Fort Bend Epidemiology Division at 832-612-7761. Website: https://monkeypox-fortbend-fbc-hhs.hub.arcgis.com/ | |
| Harris County | Residents who have questions regarding testing, vaccinations, and more MPVX guidance are encouraged to call the MPVX Hotline at 832-927-0707. Harris County Public Health (HCPH) and Houston Health Department (HHD) have limited JYNNEOS vaccine supply. Vaccine Eligibility Information: (Español) https://publichealth.harriscountytx.gov/Portals/27/Documents/1P_Monkeypox%20Vaccine_SPANISH.pdf?ver=Ut2KvRVM98de6udxZlbR-w%3d%3d (English) https://publichealth.harriscountytx.gov/Portals/27/Documents/1P_Monkeypox%20Vaccine.pdf?ver=6v_bdQxmvE9eB5TXPIzS6w%3d%3d For general questions or guidance regarding Monkeypox, residents can call the HCPH Monkeypox hotline at 832-927-0707 |
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| Jefferson County | The Jefferson County Health Department placed an order for Monkeypox vaccines but it may take a few weeks to be fulfilled. The Immunization Clinic is located at 7933 Viterbo Road, Beaumont, TX 77705 Phone: (409) 719-5964 Office Hours: Monday 8:00am-12pm, Tuesday & Wednesday 12:30-4:30pm. More information here: https://co.jefferson.tx.us/PublicHealth/PublicHealth.htm |
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| Montgomery County | Contact Syed Ibrahim, Chief Epidemiologist, at 936-523-5026. Website: https://mcphd-tx.org/ | |
| Austin (Region 7) | Travis County | As of 8/3/22, DSHS has delivered enough JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine doses to Austin Public Health (APH) for 1,500 people. Austin Public Health has requested more doses. Austin Public Health has created a survey to evaluate whether a person is eligible for the vaccine: https://tinyurl.com/5n8ajhh2 If you are eligible to receive the vaccine, you can book an appointment through KIND Clinic at kindclinic.org/mpv but keep in mind there is a very limited supply which may affect your ability to receive the vaccine. If you think you might have Monkeypox, contact your medical provider to get tested and receive care. If you don’t have an established medical provider, contact Austin Public Health at 512-972-5560. More information here: https://www.austintexas.gov/department/monkeypox |
| Bell County | Contact Public Health Department at disease@bellcountyhealth.org or 254-939-2091. Website: https://www.bellcountyhealth.org/ | |
| Brazos County | There is currently no information on vaccination eligibility criteria on the Brazos County website: https://brazoshealth.org/ Brazos County Health Authority Dr. Seth Sullivan hosted a Q&A session on July 28th at 2 pm on the BCHD’s Facebook Live stream. To watch visit https://www.facebook.com/BrazosCountyHealthDistrict/videos/780128089806914 |
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| Burleson County | Contact Burleson Health Resource Center Caldwell at BHRC@burlesoncounty.org or 979-567-3200. Website: https://www.co.burleson.tx.us/page/living.bhrc | |
| Grimes County | Contact State Department of Health Services – Grimes County at 936-825-7476. Website: https://www.grimescountytexas.gov/page/Health%20Services | |
| Hays County | Contact Juli Barksdale, Hays County Epidemiologist, at 512-393-5534. Website: https://hayscountytx.com/departments/local-health-department/ | |
| Leon County | Contact Donna Danford, Executive Director LCHRC, at 903-536-4033. Website: https://www.co.leon.tx.us/page/leon.HealthResourceCenter | |
| Milam County | Contact Robert Kirkpatrick, Director of Public Health Preparedness, at 254-697-7039. Website: https://www.milamcounty.net/page/milam.health | |
| San Saba County | Contact County Indigent Health Care Program at 325-372-8570. Website: https://www.co.san-saba.tx.us/page/sansaba.Indigent.Health | |
| Williamson County | Contact | |
| San Antonio (Region 8) | Bexar County | Supplies of the vaccine against monkeypox are limited at this time. In Bexar County, only people that meet one of these criteria are eligible for vaccination: - Exposed individuals identified through contract tracing - Have had intimate contact with someone diagnosed with MPV in the past 14 days - Attended an event/venue in the past 14 days and had a high risk of exposure to someone diagnosed with MPV Self-register for a vaccine here: https://www.sanantonio.gov/health/news/alerts/monkeypox People who believe they were exposed to monkeypox can call 210-207-8876. More information about monkeypox and how to prevent infection can be found on the CDC Monkeypox website. Some of the vaccines will be allocated to local clinics specialized in HIV care including Alamo Area Resource Center, BEAT AIDS, CentroMed Santa Rosa Pavilion Clinic, Kind Clinic SA, San Antonio AIDS Foundation, FFACTS. More information here: https://www.sanantonio.gov/health/news/alerts/monkeypox |
| Comal County | Contact Comal County Public Health Office at 830-221-1150. Website: https://www.co.comal.tx.us/health.htm | |
| Medina County | Contact Patricia Mechler, Health Unit Director, at patricia.mechler@medinatx.org or 830-741-6191. Website: https://www.medinacountytexas.org/page/medina.HealthUnit | |
| Val Verde County | Contact Carlos Velarde with the Heath Department at 830-774-7569. Website: https://valverdecounty.texas.gov/171/Health-Department-Risk-Management | |
| Victoria County | Contact Victoria County Public Health Department at 361-578-6281. Website: https://www.vcphd.org/ | |
| El Paso (Region 9/10) | El Paso County | There is currently no information on vaccination eligibility criteria on the El Paso Public Health website: https://www.elpasotexas.gov/public-health/services/immunizations/ Contact Regional Supervisor, Donna Anders, at 432-571-4133. |
| Harlingen (Region 11) | Cameron County | There is currently no information on vaccination eligibility criteria on the Cameron County Public Health website (https://www.cameroncountytx.gov/publichealth/immunizations-program/). Contact Julieta Quezada, Immunization Coordinator, for updates at 956-247-3642. |
| Duval County | Contact Priscilla Martinez, Health Care Director, at pmartinez@co.duval.tx.us or 361-279-6206. Website: https://www.co.duval.tx.us/page/SS.Healthcare | |
| Hidalgo County | Limited amount of vaccines are currently available in Hidalgo County. If you have been in close proximity to a confirmed monkeypox case report it to Health Department at 956-383-6221. Ask to be transfered to Epidemiology Department and notify them that you believe you have been in close contact. Website: https://www.hidalgocounty.us/1866/Disease-Reporting | |
| Kleberg County | Contact Emilio H. Garcia, Health Director, at egarcia@cityofkingsville.com or 361-592-3324. Website: https://www.co.kleberg.tx.us/page/kleberg.Health.Unit | |
| Nueces County | There is currently no information on vaccination elgibility criteria on the Corpus Christi - Nueces County Public Health website: https://www.cctexas.com/health. Phone: 361-826-7200 | |
| San Patricio County | Contact Health Department at 361-587-3518. Website: https://www.co.san-patricio.tx.us/page/sanpatricio.Health.Administrator | |
| Webb County | There is currently no information on vaccination eligibility criteria on the ebb County Public Health website: https://www.webbcountytx.gov/IndigentHealthCare/VaccinesForAdults/. Contact Nora Prado, Immunization Program Supervisor, for updates at 956-523-4743 or nprado@webbcountytx.gov |
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