- People wait in line to vaccinate against monkeypox in Los Angeles, California. Photograph: Étienne Laurent/EPA
Nearly 24,000 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in the United States as of Monday, September 19, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Unfortunately, California has the highest number of confirmed cases among the nation’s states, with 4,656 cases listed, followed by New York (3,755) and Florida (2,398), according to the same source.
Fortunately, monkeypox virus infections are rarely fatal, with most cases disappearing within two to four weeks. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the disease has a mortality rate of about 3% to 6%.
However, once infected, immunocompromised people are more likely to suffer severe illness, according to the CDC. U.S. health officials are warning physicians against the overuse of the only drug available for monkeypox.
The CDC said that viruses are constantly evolving to infect humans better and overcome new drugs and vaccines. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned that the antiviral drug Tecovirimat is highly susceptible to resistance. Even a slight mutation of the virus could render it ineffective.
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