More Than 30 Children Test Positive For Monkeypox In US

 

Monkeypox cases are rising rapidly in the United States as more than 30 children have tested positive for the monkeypox virus, according to the US media.

Fox News reported that at least 31 children in the US have tested positive for the virus, with 11 states and jurisdictions reporting pediatric cases. According to the data from the Texas Department of State Health Services, there are nine pediatric cases in the state. According to the local media, there are 18,989 monkeypox and orthopox virus cases across the country.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned that kids below the age of 8 are more vulnerable to developing severe illness if infected with the monkeypox virus.

Meanwhile, Texas has reported the first death of a person diagnosed with monkeypox in the United States. He was an adult living in Harris County in the US.

John Hellerstedt, DSHS Commissioner said in the statement on Tuesday, “Monkeypox is a serious disease, particularly for those with weakened immune systems.”

The first monkeypox case in the United States was reported in Massachusetts in May. Subsequently, US President Joe Biden raised concern about the virus.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), monkeypox is a viral zoonosis that is transmitted to humans from animals. The symptoms are similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe. Most people usually recover from the monkeypox virus within a few weeks.

However, people can get the virus through close and direct contact with an infected person. The virus has been spreading mainly in men who have sex with other men. The virus typically causes fever, chills, rash, and lesions on the face and genitals. People who have particular skin conditions, including eczema, can get infected too.