Health

US confirms first monkeypox death

Oluwatobiloba Jaiyeola

The Los Angeles Department of Public Health on Monday confirmed the first US death of a resident attributed to monkeypox.

The department and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention disclosed that the deceased individual was with a severely compromised immune system and had been hospitalised.

To protect confidentiality and privacy, health authorities in Los Angeles in a news release, stated that no additional information on the case will be made public.

“Persons severely immunocompromised who suspect they have monkeypox are encouraged to seek medical care and treatment early and remain under the care of a provider during their illness,” the news release said.

Recall that in August, Texas authorities reported the first death of a severely immunocompromised individual diagnosed with monkeypox. However, according to the authorities, the case is still under investigation to determine what role monkeypox played in the death.

According to data from the CDC, the US has a total of 21,985 confirmed monkeypox cases.

Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease that is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal, or with material contaminated with the virus.

It typically presents clinically with fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes and may result in a range of medical complications.

The CDC recommends that people with monkeypox remain isolated at home or another location for the duration of the illness, but that might not be possible in all situations.

“Prioritizing isolation and infection control strategies helps prevent transmission while balancing the impact of this infection on the daily lives of people diagnosed with monkeypox,” it said.

It also recommends the use of an alcohol-based hand rub or hand washing with soap and water to be performed by people with monkeypox and household contacts after touching rash material, clothing, linens, or environmental surfaces that may have had contact with rash material.

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