Health officials have confirmed 23 cases across nine counties. Thirteen patients required hospitalization but have since been discharged.
The outbreak has primarily affected people who use illicit drugs, are homeless or have been recently incarcerated. Health officials are working with local partners to promote vaccination among these high-risk populations.
“Declaring an outbreak is a significant step because it allows us to access additional resources to fight the outbreak,” Kris Ehresmann, the health department’s infectious disease director, said in a news release.
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