Just days after the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the end of the epidemic, mpox (formerly monkeypox) Following the international emergency, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning of a resurgence of new cases in the Chicago area.
From April 17th to May 5th, Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) reported a total of 12 confirmed cases and 1 probable MPOX case.
All of the cases included men between the ages of 24 and 46, all showing symptoms of infection, according to the CDC alert.
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No one was hospitalized at the time the alert was issued.
In nearly 70% of new infections, infected men had received two doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine.
The majority of cases (69%) were non-Hispanic white men, 15% were non-Hispanic black men, and 15% were Asian men.
Four of the men recently traveled out of state. new york cityNew Orleans and Mexico, the CDC said.
What you need to know about mpox
Mpox is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It spreads through all kinds of close contact and primarily affects men who have sex with men.
The global mpox epidemic began in May 2022 and peaked that summer.
Since then, cases have steadily declined, “probably due to a combination of temporary changes in sexual behavior, vaccinations, and immunity from infectious diseases,” the CDC said.
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According to WHO data, 87,000 mpox cases have been confirmed worldwide and 140 have died.
A total of 30,395 cases were reported in the United States as of May 10, according to the CDC.
Mpox usually causes a rash that appears on the hands, feet, chest, face, mouth, and/or genitals.
The rash goes through several stages before it scabs and heals.
Other common symptoms include fever, chills, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, swollen lymph nodes, cough, sore throat and nasal congestion.
A vaccine could help prevent future epidemics
A two-dose vaccine, JYNNEOS, is available to prevent both mpox and smallpox.
CDC recommends that at-risk people be vaccinated to prevent severe illness.
In nearly 70% of new mpox cases, infected men received two doses of the vaccine.
Dr. Mark Siegel, a professor of medicine at New York University Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, credits the vaccine with helping to end the epidemic in 2022.
“The use of ring vaccination, which vaccinates people who were close to the onset of monkeypox, played a role,” he told Fox News Digital.
The CDC reports that only 23% of the population at risk is fully vaccinated.
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The CDC report states, “Without additional vaccinations or adaptations of sexual behaviors to prevent the spread of mpox, the projected risk of resurgence of mpox epidemics in most US jurisdictions exceeds 35%.” Says.
“Resurgence of infections in these communities could be as large as or higher than in 2022.”
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To prevent new epidemics, the CDC advises doctors to: encourage vaccination and testing patients for mpox even if they have been vaccinated or already infected.