Monkeypox: US leads world in cases as cities declare emergencies

Monkeypox: US leads world in cases as cities declare emergencies


The US is now leading the world in monkeypox cases as the FDA moves to distribute another 800,000 vaccine doses (Image: AFP)
The US is now leading the world in monkeypox cases as the FDA moves to distribute another 800,000 vaccine doses (Image: AFP)

The US is now leading the world in cases of monkeypox in countries where the disease is not endemic.

The US has 4,097 cases in 47 states, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released Thursday.

The report was written by the Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Policy Tuesday at the University of Minnesota. Since then, the US has added another 1,420 cases.

Last week, the World Health Organization declared the virus a global emergency. On Thursday, New York and San Francisco declared it a local emergency as cases continue to rise and demand for vaccines outstrips supply.


The Food and Drug Administration approved nearly 800,000 additional doses of monkeypox vaccine to be distributed nationwide
The Food and Drug Administration approved nearly 800,000 additional doses of the monkeypox vaccine for distribution nationwide (Image: AFP)

As of Friday, 1,383 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in New York. Of those cases, 1,289 were discovered in New York City.

New York Health Commissioner Mary Bassett stated that monkeypox is an imminent threat and authorized local health departments to “provide support for case investigations, identification and monitoring of contacts, vaccine administration for exposed contacts and current high-risk populations, and education.” and outreach’.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed too announced her government’s plan to fight monkey pox.

Broad was clear that the city would not introduce “behavioral restrictions” as it did during the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the city would focus on using the emergency declaration to free up resources to fight the virus.


Monkeypox Facts

According to the NHSMonkeypox is distributed by:

  • Touching blisters or scabs on the skin from monkey pox
  • Touching clothing, bedding, or towels used by someone with monkey pox rash

Symptoms of Monkeypox include:

  • High temperature
  • Headache
  • muscle strain
  • Backache
  • Swollen glands
  • shiver
  • exhaustion.

“During Covid, we used our Local Emergency to open emergency vaccination sites. To deploy workers for immediate needs. Enter into emergency contracts. To deftly move government bureaucracy to face the virus,” Breed wrote. “That’s the kind of action this Local Emergency allows us to take.”

The second largest outbreak internationally is in Spain, where 3,738 cases have been confirmed. Germany currently has 2,540 and the UK has 2,432 registered.

Monkeypox is considered endemic to Benin, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan.


More than 300,000 doses of monkeypox vaccine have been distributed to local and national health departments
More than 300,000 doses of monkeypox vaccine have been distributed to local and national health departments (Photo: AP)

Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration approved nearly 800,000 additional doses of the monkeypox vaccine to be distributed nationwide.

More than 300,000 doses have already been distributed to various state and local health departments, but demand quickly outstripped supply.

Washington, DC clinics recently the second dose delayed planned for some patients because of ‘very limited supply’.

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