Monkeypox in the US: California Toddler, 1 Other Infant Diagnosed With Scary Virus

Monkeypox in the U.S. is threatening more lives as it has already affected children in California.

According to FOX 8, a toddler who lives in the Golden State was stricken with the virus, and another one was an infant who is not a resident of California. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that the infant is not a U.S. citizen.

CBS News reported that the infant was "transiting through" the Washington D.C. area when the test was done.

In a statement, CDC underscored that both cases are likely a result of a "household transmission." The agency also highlighted that both patients have no contact with each other.

The identities of the children were not mentioned by the authorities. However, officials emphasized that both children are in good health and are receiving treatment.

The details of new cases of monkeypox from a California child and another infant were disclosed by CDC Director Rochelle Walensky at a virtual event on Friday.

"We became aware of these cases just this week, and we've been working with the jurisdictions to understand more about these cases," CDC's Jennifer McQuiston told reporters on Friday.

The CDC previously warned that children, especially those under eight years old, are at "especially increased risk" for severe monkeypox.

The U.S. is not the only country that has recorded monkeypox virus cases among children. Authorities from Spain on Wednesday announced that they had detected the virus in a seven-month-old baby, who likely caught the virus from the parents. Meanwhile, a boy under 10 years old in the Netherlands had also caught the virus.

California Monkeypox: Golden State Record Over 300 Cases

The CDC has recorded 356 monkeypox cases in California as of Friday, placing the Golden State second among the seven states that have recorded hundreds of cases.

New York still holds the record for most cases of monkeypox in the U.S., with 900 patients as of Friday. Florida comes third with 247 cases, followed by Illinois with 238 cases. In Georgia, 211 caught monkeypox, while the District of Columbia records 110. Meanwhile, Texas comes as the seventh state with 107 cases.

As of Friday, the CDC recorded the total monkeypox cases in the U.S. at 2,891.

Monkeypox in the U.S.: Ex-FDA Commissioner Slams Response to the Disease

Former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a recent interview with CNN that the response to monkeypox is like the response on COVID-19. Gottlieb pointed out that there was a lack of testing early on, and not enough vaccines were distributed to the community.

"We could have gotten control of this if we had been more aggressive up front," Gottlieb pointed out.

However, the CDC acknowledged that they have work to do in terms of response but contended that they believe in the possibility of containing monkeypox "through education and increased testing and access to vaccines."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

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