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USA reports more than 28,000 monkeypox cases according to the latest data of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
California had the most confirmed cases among US states, with 5,372 cases, followed by New York with 4,082 and Florida with 2,697, according to the CDC data as of Tuesday. At least six people in the United States who tested positive for monkeypox had died, including two in Chicago, two in New York, one in Nevada and one in Maryland, local health departments confirmed. Monkeypox infections are rarely fatal, with most cases resolving within two to four weeks.
California had the most confirmed cases among U.S. states, with 5,372 cases, followed by New York with 4,082 and Florida with 2,697, according to the CDC data.
At least six people in the United States who tested positive for monkeypox had died, including two in Chicago, two in New York, one in Nevada and one in Maryland, local health departments confirmed.
Monkeypox infections are rarely fatal, with most cases resolving within two to four weeks. According to the World Health Organization, the disease has a fatality rate of around 3 to 6 percent.
However, immunocompromised individuals are more likely to experience severe illness when infected, according to the CDC.
According to the World Health Organization, the disease has a fatality rate of around 3 to 6 percent. However, immunocompromised individuals are more likely to experience severe illness when infected, according to the CDC.
How to Avoid Monkeypox?
Avoid close contact with people who have a rash that looks like monkeypox.
Avoid handling clothes, sheets, blankets, or other materials that have been in contact with an infected animal or person.
Isolate people who have monkeypox from healthy people.
Wash your hands well with soap and water after any contact with an infected person or animal.
Avoid animals that may carry the virus.
What is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It leads to rash and flu-like symptoms. Like the better-known virus that causes smallpox, it’s a member of the family called orthopoxvirus.
Monkeypox was discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in groups of monkeys being used for research. It’s spread mainly through human contact with infected rodents, but can sometimes be spread through skin-to-skin contact with a person who is infected. There are two known types (clades) of monkeypox virus — one that originated in Central Africa and one that originated in West Africa. The less severe West African clade causes the current world outbreak (2022).
While rare, the number of cases is increasing in Africa, and has now spread to the West and other parts of the world.
Where else is monkeypox found?
For decades, Monkeypox was largely seen in Africa. However, it’s occasionally found in other countries, including the United States. In the spring of 2003, the first outbreak of monkeypox outside of Africa occurred in the U.S. A shipment of infected animals from Ghana was imported into Texas. The infected rodents spread the virus to pet prairie dogs, which then infected 47 people in the Midwest.
As international travel becomes more common, viruses that were once fairly confined to certain locations can more easily spread around the world. In the summer of 2021, a case of monkeypox was found in a U.S. resident who had traveled from Nigeria to the United States. Then, 2022 brought outbreaks to regions outside of Africa, including Europe, the Americas, and Australia.
Who does monkeypox affect?
Anyone can get monkeypox. In Africa, most cases are among children under 15 years old. Outside of Africa, the disease appears to be more common in men who have sex with men, but there are numerous cases in people who don’t fall into that category.
SYMPTOMS AND CAUSES
Monkeypox rash starts as flat red spots that become raised, fill with fluid and pus, then crust and fall off.
Monkeypox rash can be painful, with spots that change over time before scabbing and falling off.
What are the signs and symptoms of monkeypox?
After exposure, it may be several days to a few weeks before you develop symptoms. Early signs of monkeypox include flu-like symptoms, including:
Fever.
Chills.
Headache.
Muscle aches.
Fatigue.
Swollen lymph nodes.