The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday it was aware of more than 700 global cases of monkeypox, including 21 in the United States, and investigations now show it is spreading across the country.
16 of the first 17 cases are among people who identify as having sex with men, according to a new CDC report, and 14 are thought to be related to travel.
All patients are recovering or have recovered and there are no fatalities.
“There have been some cases in the United States that we know are related to certain cases,” Jennifer McQueston, deputy director of the CDC’s Department of Pathogens and Pathology, told reporters during a conversation.
“We also have at least one case in the United States that has no connection to travel or knows how they contracted the infection.
Monkeypox is a rare disease that is related but less severe than smallpox, which causes a rash that spreads, fever, chills and pain, among other symptoms.
In general, limited to West and Central Africa, cases have been reported in Europe since May and the number of countries affected has increased since then.
Canada also released new data on Friday, counting 77 confirmed cases – almost all of which were found in the province of Quebec, where vaccines were delivered.
Although its new spread may be linked to certain gay festivals in Europe, smallpox is not considered a sexually transmitted disease, and the main risk factor is close skin-to-skin contact with someone who has smallpox wounds.
A person is infected until all the ulcers are covered and new skin is formed.
“More than enough vaccine”
Raj Punjabi, senior director of the White House’s Department of Global Health Security and Biosecurity, added that 1,200 vaccines and 100 courses of treatment had been delivered to the United States, where they were offered close contact to those infected.
There are currently two vaccines approved: ACAM2000 and JYNNEOS, which were originally developed against smallpox.
Although smallpox has been eliminated, the United States keeps the vaccines in a strategic national reserve if used as a biological weapon.
JYNNEOS is the more modern of the two vaccines, with fewer side effects.
“We still have more than enough vaccine available,” Dawn O’Connell, assistant secretary for preparation and response at the Department of Health and Human Services, told reporters.
In late May, the CDC said it had 100 million doses of ACAM200 and 1,000 doses of JYNNEOS, but O’Connell said on Friday that the figures had changed, although it could not reveal exact numbers for strategic reasons.
The CDC has also approved two antivirals used to treat smallpox, TPOXX and Cidofovir, to be reassigned to treat monkeypox.
“Everyone can get monkeypox, and we’re watching closely for monkeypox, which can spread to any population, including those who don’t identify as men who have sex with men,” McQueston said.
With that in mind, the CDC is working specifically with the LGBT community, she added.
The presumed case “should be anyone with a new characteristic rash” or anyone who meets the criteria for strong suspicion, such as travel, close contact or a man who has sex with men.
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