The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 27,884 probable or confirmed cases of monkeypox in the US as of Friday
Health departments in different states in the United States reported that six people who tested positive for monkeypox have died.
The cases were distributed two in New York City, two in Chicago, one in Nevada and one in Maryland.
As of Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 27,884 probable or confirmed cases of monkeypox in the US.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said it was “deeply saddened by the two reported deaths.”
They explained that everything possible will be done to prevent further suffering from this virus through continued community engagement, information sharing, and vaccination.
For its part, the Chicago Department of Health (CDPH) noted that the two Chicagoans who died after testing positive for monkeypox had multiple other health conditions, including a weakened immune system.
Although the number of new MPV cases has decreased substantially since the summer, this is a stark reminder that MPV is dangerous and can cause serious illness and, in very rare cases, even death,? said CDPH Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady to CNN.
It is difficult to determine when a person dies from monkeypox.
Monkeypox was a contributing factor in the death of a Maryland resident, who was immunocompromised and experiencing a severe case, the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) said.
In that sense, Dr. Jinlene Chan, Undersecretary of Public Health Services of the MDH, reiterated that the best way to protect yourself against serious MPX disease is to get vaccinated.
Board member Dr. Priya Banerjee explains to CNN that it can be difficult to determine if someone has died of monkeypox.
Not only would the virus have to be detected in her body, but forensic pathologists would have to “connect the dots” as to how the infection caused her death, for example by affecting certain organs.
“Dying from any infection is usually systemic, meaning the whole body is affected, or one major organ, such as the heart, lungs, liver or brain,” she said.
New cases of monkeypox in the United States have decreased in recent weeks, but concerns remain about the possibility of serious illness or death.