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The first death of a person diagnosed with monkeypox was reported in Texas.
Washington:
More than 30 children in the United States have tested positive for monkeypox, according to local media citing officials.
Fox News reported that at least 31 children are positive for the virus, with 11 states and jurisdictions reporting pediatric cases.
Data from the Texas Department of State Health Services shows that there are nine pediatric cases in the state, it added.
Data from the agency shows 18,989 monkeypox and orthopoxvirus cases across the country.
Meanwhile, the first death of a person diagnosed with monkeypox was reported in Texas.
In a statement on Tuesday (local time), the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said that the patient was an adult living in Harris County.
“Monkeypox is a serious disease, particularly for those with weakened immune systems,” John Hellerstedt, DSHS Commissioner said in the statement on Tuesday.
“We continue to urge people to seek treatment if they have been exposed to monkeypox or have symptoms consistent with the disease,” he added.
According to The Hill, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had confirmed more than 18,000 cases of the virus across all 50 states as of Monday, but so far officials had not confirmed any deaths.
The virus has mostly spread among men who have sex with men, but anyone can get it through close, direct contact with an infected person. People who are diagnosed with monkeypox should stay home and avoid close contact with others until the rash has fully gone away and a new layer of skin has completely formed, according to the release.
It is to be noted that the World Health Organization report earlier informed that the number of monkeypox cases reported globally dropped by 21 per cent in the last week.
The UN health agency reported 5,907 new weekly cases and said two countries, Iran and Indonesia, reported their first cases. At present, more than 45,000 cases have been reported in 98 countries since late April, as per CBC.
Cases in the Americas accounted for 60 per cent of cases in the past month, WHO said, while cases in Europe comprised about 38 per cent. It said infections in the Americas showed “a continuing steep rise.”
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had also said that most of the monkeypox cases are being reported from Europe and the Americas -among men who have sex with men.
Back in July, Tedros announced that the global monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern.
Most people usually recover from monkeypox within a few weeks without treatment. The symptoms are initially flu-like, such as fever, chills, and swollen lymph nodes, which are then followed by a widespread rash. According to the WHO, the disease can be more severe in young children, pregnant women, and individuals who are immunocompromised.
The monkeypox virus is not easily transmitted and usually spreads through close physical contact, including sexual contact, with an infected individual.
The virus can enter a human body through broken skin, the respiratory tract, eyes, nose and mouth, and via bodily fluids. Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease. It originates in animals like rodents and primates and occurs in remote parts of Central and West Africa.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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