Officials have confirmed that at least four children in the United States have tested positive for monkeypox. State officials in Indiana announced late last week that two kids had tested positive for monkeypox amid an increase in cases across the nation. Due to concerns about patient privacy, no additional information has been released as of yet, according to a statement from the Indiana Department of Health.
State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box stated in a statement that Indiana has had a surge in monkeypox cases over the past month, similar to many other states.
Last month, federal officials had already acknowledged that two additional American youngsters had tested positive for monkeypox.
One instance was confirmed in a toddler who lives in California, and the other was reported in a newborn who was visiting Washington, D.C. and was tested. The two cases are unrelated, occurred in two different countries, and most likely spread through households.
The two other children who have been identified as having monkeypox were reported to be in good health, despite the fact that it is unknown what the current condition of the virus-positive youngsters in Indiana is.
Health professionals are worried about how monkeypox can affect small children, though.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health notice over the weekend cautioning that there is some preliminary data to show that children under the age of eight may experience more severe disease from monkeypox infection.
At this time, gay, bisexual, or other men who have intercourse with men have been found to have the bulk of the monkey cases confirmed domestically and globally in the current outbreak. Health officials have emphasised numerous times that the virus does not discriminate and can infect anyone who has been exposed to monkeypox.
Although the disease can also spread through respiratory secretions or by “touching objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels), and surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox,” according to the CDC, close person-to-person contact, including intimate contact, is how people are typically infected.
The announcement of further juvenile cases of monkeypox coincides with mounting calls from government authorities across the nation for the outbreak to be declared a public health emergency in the United States.
According to a press statement from Governor J.B. Pritzker, Illinois on Monday became the second state in the US to designate monkeypox a public health emergency, classifying the state as a “disaster region” for the virus.
Pritzker stated in a statement that “[the monkeypox virus] is a rare, but potentially serious disease that requires the full mobilisation of all available public health resources to prevent the spread.” This is the reason I’m announcing a state of emergency: “It will help us promptly prevent and treat the disease by ensuring efficient communication between state agencies and all levels of government.”
The disclosure of further instances of monkeypox in children comes as government officials from all around the country are urging the epidemic to be labelled a public health emergency in the United States.
Illinois on Monday became the second state in the US to declare monkeypox a public health emergency, designating the state as a “disaster region” for the virus, according to a press release from Governor J.B. Pritzker.
San Francisco has likewise established a local emergency declaration for monkeypox, as have officials across the nation.
According to the CDC, there have been more than 22,000 cases recorded worldwide, with roughly 5,200 cases reported in the United States.
The only remaining states without confirmed cases are Montana, Vermont, and Wyoming. Monkeypox cases have now been documented in almost every state in the US.