CDC Investigating Possible Monkeypox Resurgence Amid Dozens of New Cases
Key Highlights :
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Wednesday it was working with multiple health departments to investigate new cases of monkeypox (mpox) around the country, less than a month after officials had hailed the weekly pace of new infections slowing to zero nationwide. This news comes a day after Chicago health officials warned of a resurgence of mpox cases, many among fully vaccinated residents.
Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of Chicago's health department, said Tuesday that in the last few weeks her department had seen a sudden increase in cases. Of 13 newly confirmed or probable cases in the city, nine were among men who had been fully vaccinated, local officials said in an alert distributed to healthcare providers. None of the 13 patients were hospitalized.
The CDC says it still recommends at-risk Americans get two doses of the Jynneos vaccine to guard against the virus, but urged doctors to test all patients with symptoms regardless of their vaccination status. "Getting vaccinated is still very important. No vaccine is 100% effective, and infections after vaccination are possible, but they may be milder and less likely to result in hospitalization," the CDC said in a post published this week.
Since the CDC's last tally on April 26, health officials have reported 60 more cases to the CDC across eight states. Two states have added more than a dozen infections to their tallies: 31 in Texas and 15 in Illinois. A handful more cases have also been reported in California, Louisiana, New York, Alabama, Florida and Oregon.
Health officials have been warning for months that they feared a potential resurgence of mpox, especially around travel and gatherings linked to Pride festivities over the coming months. CDC modeling earlier this year had predicted an ongoing risk of resurgent outbreaks across many U.S. communities which could be further worsened by waning immunity.
Overseas, newly reported cases have climbed in Asia over recent weeks, according to World Health Organization figures, with dozens of new cases reported in Japan, China, and South Korea. New cases also continue to be reported in other parts of the world, including in the Americas.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom-Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), said Wednesday at a WHO meeting that the virus continues to transmit in certain communities and countries, such as in the Western Pacific region. The U.S. public health emergency for mpox already ended in January.
"It remains important for countries to maintain their capacities and continue their efforts," he said.
The CDC is continuing to investigate the possible resurgence of mpox cases in the U.S. and is urging people to get vaccinated and to take precautions to reduce the risk of infection. It is also important to maintain surveillance and access to tests and vaccines to help prevent further outbreaks.
