NEW YORK – New York City now has seven suspected cases of monkeypox, and CDC officials are urging doctors to increase testing for the previously rare virus that is suddenly spreading around the world.
“Seven people in New York City have tested positive for orthopoxvirus, presumed to be monkeypox,” the report says.
Two additional people tested positive for orthopoxvirus in NYC, which is presumed to be monkeypox. To date, seven cases have been identified. Monkeypox is rare in New York City but we can prevent the spread. Learn more about prevention and symptoms: https://t.co/hR9Yuw1w2G pic.twitter.com/aGAGIzjF77
— nychealthy (@nycHealthy) June 3, 2022
–
Meanwhile, two leading infectious disease experts warned Saturday that time was of the essence to stop the spread of the virus and that “the window is closing” to contain it before it becomes endemic.
The two new cases in New York City, reported by the city’s Health Department on Friday night, add five new cases in the last three days. Monkeypox is now spreading so rapidly around the world that top global health officials say they don’t know if it’s “too late to contain”.
In a sign that the situation may be further along than first understood, the CDC said Friday that there appear to be two separate and distinct outbreaks outside of Africa, with some virus samples seen in the United States that are distinct from the samples seen in the European outbreak.
How is monkeypox spread?
The vast majority of cases in the US are in men who have sex with men, and international travel has been reported by many patients. So far, only one confirmed case has an unknown origin. The CDC noted that all patients across the country are recovering or have already recovered.
Agency officials, in a briefing with reporters, stressed that the public health risk remains low, vaccine stockpiles are ample for now, and that it was “too early to tell” whether the virus would become endemic in the United States.
As of Friday afternoon, the CDC said there were 25 confirmed cases across the country from the recent outbreak. That’s nearly triple the count from a week earlier.
The agency is asking doctors to test more aggressively for monkeypox, even if they think a patient has symptoms of another sexually transmitted disease.
“They should get tested for monkeypox even if they think they might test positive for a much more common STI,” Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of the CDC’s Division of High-Consequence Pathology and Pathogens, said on a call with reporters. .
Of the first 17 confirmed cases, all 17 had rashes and most had fatigue or chills. Most had rashes on the arm or chest, although many other spots were affected as well.
Globally, the World Health Organization has identified infections from the current outbreak in at least 12 countries.
The WHO says there is so far no link between this outbreak and travel to countries where the virus is already endemic.
“We really don’t know if it’s too late to contain it. What the WHO and all member states are trying to do is prevent the spread,” said Dr. Rosamund Lewis, WHO monkeypox technical lead, during a conference. press conference in Geneva on Wednesday.
‘The window to eliminate monkeypox is closing’
As the virus spreads, those with experience in the history of infectious diseases warn that time is of the essence to contain it.
“The window is CLOSING. If we can’t contain now, it means a lot more work later. Once again, #LGBTQ groups don’t seem to see the urgency of the moment, rightly concerned about the stigma, but not interested in pulling to take care of this outbreak ourselves,” Yale epidemiologist and AIDS activist Gregg Gonsalves tweeted Saturday morning.
His peers agreed, calling on the LGBTQ community to make a more aggressive effort to combat the spread.
“The window to eliminate monkeypox is closing. LGBTQ groups could use #GayPrideMonth #gaypride2022 events to educate, test and vaccinate…before it’s too late,” tweeted Celine Gounder, an infectious disease specialist at NYU. and former COVID advisor to the Biden Administration, in response to Gonsalves.
What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958, when outbreaks occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research, giving rise to its name. (What you need to know about monkeypox).
The first human case was reported in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which still has the majority of infections. Other African countries where it has been found: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone.
Human symptoms of monkeypox are similar to but milder than smallpox symptoms, the CDC says. It presents as a flu-like illness accompanied by swollen lymph nodes and a rash on the face and body.
Monkeypox begins with a fever, headache, muscle aches, and exhaustion. Monkeypox also causes the lymph nodes to swell, something that smallpox does not. The incubation period is usually 7 to 14 days, but can range from 5 to 21 days.
Cases reported outside of Africa have generally been linked to international travel or animals that have been imported.
The CDC urges healthcare providers in the US to be vigilant for patients who have monkeypox-like rashes, regardless of whether they have traveled or are at specific risk for monkeypox. See more information about the travel advisory here.
–
