Ohio monkeypox vaccine clinics see overwhelming demand

Central Ohio's first monkeypox (MPV) vaccine clinics have filled every available appointment as demand for the shots continues to outweigh supply.

• Columbus Public Health distributed 850 total shots Thursday and Monday, a spokesperson tells Axios.

Why it matters: Across the nation, health officials worry that the MPV outbreak could become the country's second major public health disaster in recent years if we don't work faster to contain it, Axios D.C.'s Chelsea Cirruzzo and Cuneyt Dil report.

Context: With just 68 cases reported as of Monday, Ohio is not a hot-spot state.

• Nationally, there are more than 8,900 known cases and no deaths, per the CDC.
• Urban areas with large LGBTQ+ populations like L.A. and New York City have felt the brunt of infections so far.
• The virus is transmitted through close, prolonged physical contact and can cause flu-like symptoms and a painful rash.

What's happening: States' access to MPV vaccines is limited because the federal government is only able to purchase doses from one company in Denmark.

Zoom in: Ohio has received 4,253 vaccine doses so far and clinics are targeting high-risk populations, an Ohio Department of Health spokesperson tells Axios.

What's next: Ohio is authorized to receive another 13,560 doses over the next six weeks.

Go deeper: What you need to know about the monkeypox vaccine