Friday 9 September 2022 05:22 PM Second US monkeypox death reported in patient diagnosed with virus in Los ... trends now
A second person in the U.S. has died while being infected with monkeypox, health officials in Los Angeles confirmed on Thursday night.
An autopsy has now being launched to determine the cause of death, but if it is found to be monkeypox it could be the first fatality from the virus confirmed in America.
Last month an adult died in Harris County, Texas, after being diagnosed with monkeypox. An investigation is still underway to determine whether the virus was the cause of death. Globally, 18 people have died from the virus to date, including two in Spain and one in Belgium.
America currently has the largest monkeypox outbreak in the world with 21,504 cases now confirmed, but the outbreak appears to have peaked as the seven-day average for daily cases continues to fall. The virus — native to West Africa — has spread to more than 50 countries so far, with nearly 57,000 cases confirmed.
Pictured above is Dr Rita Singhal, the director of the Disease Control Center for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. She revealed that they had recorded a fatality in a person diagnosed with monkeypox late yesterday at a media briefing
The above graph shows the number of monkeypox cases reported in the US every day (yellow bars) and the seven-day average for new infections (white line). The number of cases detected has been falling since late last month
The above map shows countries reporting confirmed monkeypox deaths. The U.S. is shown in yellow because it has reported two fatalities, but neither has been confirmed as monkeypox
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health revealed its first suspected fatality from monkeypox during a media briefing late Thursday.
Health officials have not revealed the patient's age, sex or whether they were immunocompromised, however, citing privacy concerns.
Dr Rita Singhal, chief medical officer of the county's Disease Control Bureau, said: 'We are currently investigating a death of a person with monkeypox in Los Angeles county.
