First death related to monkeypox reported in the US

The United States has recorded its first death of a person with monkeypox.

The case was registered in Texas, according to the Department of Health.

The deceased was an adult who was «severely» immunocompromised.

The United States has recorded its first death of a person with monkeypox which occurred in Texas, Infobae and the EFE news agency reported. This is why many people are already asking for vaccines.

The deceased was an adult who was «severely immunocompromised,» said the statement, which specified that the case is being investigated to determine what role monkeypox played in his death. “Monkeypox is a serious disease, especially for those with weakened immune systems,» Texas Department of Health Representative John Hellerstedt said in the statement.

ARE CASES RISING IN THE US?

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According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), from this past Monday, the United States has recorded the highest number of global cases of monkeypox, with 18,101, out of a total of about 48,800. The two most affected states are California (3,291) and New York (3,197), while Texas had registered 1,604 cases as of Monday.

US health authorities were «cautiously optimistic» last Friday because, although the numbers of infections continue to rise, the rate of increase has slowed down, especially in the most affected areas. However, the general public is still worried about the outbreak.

ARE THERE ENOUGH VACCINES?

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The US government said Friday that there are enough doses of the monkeypox vaccine now, but health officials say the shots are not reaching some of the people who most need the protection. Most cases of monkeypox in the United States have been in men who had sex with other men, but officials have stressed that anyone can get the virus.

Approximately 10% of vaccine doses have been administered to Blacks, although they account for a third of cases in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The new numbers come from 17 states and two cities, and represent the broadest details yet of who has received the two-dose vaccines. Similar disparities have been reported by some states and cities. Filed Under: Death Monkeypox

WHAT DO THE EXPERTS SAY?

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Experts offered various explanations for the disparity. It could be related to how and where the injections are being given and offered. It could be that some Black men don’t trust doctors or government public health campaigns. Or it could be that they are less willing to identify themselves as being at high risk for the disease.

The gap is similar to disparities seen during the Covid pandemic, when certain racial groups were a disproportionately large share of cases but a smaller fraction of people who initially received the vaccines, said Dr. Yvens Laborde, director of education at global health at Ochsner Health in New Orleans. Filed Under: Death Monkeypox

WHO ARE THE MOST AFFECTED?

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«If we’re not careful, the same thing is going to happen» with monkeypox, he said. Available information indicates that Black men account for a growing proportion of monkeypox cases, said Caitlin Rivers, a Johns Hopkins University expert on government response to epidemics. «It’s a problem that is not being solved,» she said.

The Biden administration said Friday that it has shipped enough monkeypox vaccine to administer the first two doses to the group most at risk of infection. That’s an estimated 1.6 million men who have sex with men, but the CDC doesn’t have the racial makeup of the group. Filed Under: Death Monkeypox