The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified 17 cases of monkeypox in the United States as of May 31, with most cases occurring in gay and bisexual men.
The current tally is eight more than last week. As of May 31, nine states — California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, Utah, Virginia, and Washington — have reported 17 patients with confirmed infections of orthopoxvirus, the family of viruses that encompasses monkeypox and smallpox. While not all cases have been confirmed to be monkeypox, they are presumed to be until proven otherwise.
“Ongoing investigation suggests person-to-person community transmission, and CDC urges health departments, clinicians, and the public to remain vigilant, institute appropriate infection prevention and control measures, and notify public health authorities of suspected cases to reduce disease spread,” the authors of a CDC report said.
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Of the total number of cases in the U.S., 16 were in men who identified as gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men. Monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted disease in the traditional sense, though transmission relies on sustained contact with contaminated surfaces such as bed linens or someone with the characteristic lesions and skin rash. Most of the infections were initially misdiagnosed as sexually transmitted infections such as genital herpes.
Still, the CDC insisted that monkeypox infections are not limited to men who have sex with men.
“Infections are often not confined to certain geographies or population groups; because close physical contact with infected persons can spread monkeypox, any person, irrespective of gender or sexual orientation, can acquire and spread monkeypox,” the researchers said.
The disease is generally confined to the African continent, with occasional outbreaks abroad. For instance, the U.S. confirmed in 2003 that 47 people from six Midwestern states were positive or suspected of having the West African strain of the monkeypox virus, the same strain currently spreading in parts of Europe and the U.S.
The World Health Organization is also keeping tabs on the current global outbreak. The public health body reported that, as of May 26, a cumulative total of 257 laboratory-confirmed cases and around 120 suspected cases have been reported to WHO. No deaths have been reported.
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Monkeypox can cause myriad symptoms, including fever, skin rashes, swollen lymph nodes, and body aches. But the disease is typically self-limiting, with symptoms lasting two to four weeks. While severe cases can occur, deaths due to the disease are relatively rare. The case-fatality ratio hovers at around 3%–6%, according to WHO.
