OAN’s Avril Elfie
5:03 PM – Tuesday, April 2, 2024
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that the number of MPOX infections in 2024 will be nearly double the number of cases reported in all of 2023.
advertisement
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, recorded 582 cases in the United States in 2024, according to the latest data from the CDC.
This data almost doubles the number of cases recorded in all of 2023, which was just 299.
Currently, the Mid-Atlantic region, which includes Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, has the highest number of reported cases, with 185.
The number of infections in the United States increased in 2022.
That same year, 58 deaths and more than 32,000 cases of mpox were reported in the United States.
Outreach and awareness campaigns, along with the use of the two-dose smallpox vaccine Jynneos, helped contain the outbreak. Initially, limited supplies and careless planning made it difficult for people to get vaccinated.
This virus causes flu-like symptoms, including a painful rash. Skin-to-skin contact between homosexual or bisexual men is the main route of transmission, but an infected person’s unwashed clothing or bed linen can also act as a vector.
After the outbreak, the number of mpox infections did not go down to zero, but due to the public health emergency, the virus was declared to end in January 2023.
Bavarian Nordic, the manufacturer of Zinneos, announced Tuesday that its vaccine will be commercially available in the United States.
“Bavarian Nordic is now able to commercialize the mpox vaccine nationwide through its existing national vaccine distribution structure. From April 1st, healthcare providers can receive JYNNEOS through their preferred wholesaler or distribution partner. It can be ordered and made available to at-risk individuals at local pharmacies and clinics in addition to public health clinics,” the company said in a statement.
Stay informed. Receive breaking news directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
Please share this post!
