Monday 23 May 2022 09:34 PM TWO-HUNDRED people are being monitored for monkeypox infection in ... trends now
Two-hundred people are being monitored for monkeypox in Massachusetts after coming into contact with the unnamed man who became the state's first confirmed case last week, a health official revealed Monday.
Dr Jennifer McQuiston, a deputy director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said most of the exposed were healthcare workers, although a few were also 'personal' contacts of the patient.
But she added it was difficult to spread monkeypox because it typically requires sustained physical touch, pointing out that many contacts are usually negative.
The infectious diseases expert revealed the tally at a briefing this afternoon, where she also warned the virus may have been spreading un-detected for months.
During the briefing experts also warned many of the recent patients had infectious skin lesions in the genital area, which could be mistaken for a bad case of herpes.
America now has one confirmed and four suspected cases of the disease — endemic to west Africa — in the global outbreak, all in men and linked to international travel. Globally, there are more than 100 cases, mostly in Europe.
Massachusetts was the first U.S. state to pick up the virus in a man in his 40s who had recently returned from Canada by car. Florida, New York and Utah are also probing suspected infections.
Health chiefs are alarmed by the disproportionate number of cases among gay and bisexual men, saying it may be passing between people via sex.
European health chiefs are warning the virus could become endemic on the continent if cases are not quickly found. Many are not linked to travel there.
The outbreak has now spread to 16 countries, with Argentina and Greece today becoming the 17th and 18th nations to announce they are probing suspected cases
Dr Jennifer McQuiston, an infectious disease expert at the CDC, revealed about 200 people were being monitored for the virus in Massachusetts. Dr John Brooks, a medical epidemiologist at the CDC, said many cases were being mistaken for herpes
Asked about the situation in Massachusetts, McQuiston said: 'They are tracking over 200 contacts out there but the vast majority are healthcare workers.
'There are also some personal contacts, however.'
But attempting to calm fears, she added: 'Previous efforts show that this is not an easily transmissible virus.
'Out of the nine travel-associated cases that left Nigeria and the multiple contacts that were followed up, we are not aware of any monkeypox cases that spread from them.'
McQuiston did not give any details on how many people were being monitored in the other states.
Health chiefs in Utah say there
