The number of monkeypox cases is growing, but US officials say the overall risk is low

Biden administration officials warned that the monkeypox outbreak in the United States has worsened, with at least 45 cases of the viral disease identified in 15 states and the district, up from 20 cases a week ago. But they stressed that the risk to the public remains low and that public health agencies have the tools they need to protect people.

“We have tests for monkeypox. We have vaccines for monkeypox and we have treatments for monkeypox, “Raj Panjabi, who leads the White House’s global health security efforts, said in a briefing.” We have a multi-pronged approach to implementing these tools for make sure we fight this outbreak as effectively as possible. “

More than 1,300 cases of monkeypox have been detected worldwide, as the disease – which has emerged repeatedly in Central and West Africa over the past few decades but rarely spreads among humans – appears to be taking hold in countries including Germany, Portugal and the United Kingdom. The current episode is likely to become the worst monkeypox outbreak ever recorded in the United States, surpassing a 2003 outbreak in which 47 cases were confirmed or detected in six states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But public health experts have pointed out that monkeypox poses far fewer risks than the coronavirus pandemic, which has rocked the world since 2020 and has been linked to the deaths of more than 1 million Americans.

“My feeling is that this will not be anything like what we have seen with the covid. The general public need not worry too much at this point, “Don Milton, a University of Maryland environmental scientist who has advised the White House and others on fighting the coronavirus pandemic, said in an interview.

“While [monkeypox] cases have continued to increase, I want to reiterate that there have been no deaths yet associated with this outbreak, “said CDC director Rochelle Walensky in the briefing on Friday.” Although the overall risk of monkeypox in the US public is currently low, we want people to be aware of the signs and symptoms and seek assistance immediately if they think they may have symptoms of monkeypox. “

Symptoms of monkeypox frequently include fever, headache, and injuries that can persist for weeks. Although federal regulators have not approved specific treatments for monkeypox, officials said treatments and vaccines prepared to fight smallpox – a closely related virus that exhibits more severe symptoms – are available through the Strategic National Stockpile.