ATLANTA — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday beefed up its response to the monkeypox outbreak, activating its emergency operations center.
“This action stands up the CDC’s command center for monitoring and coordinating the emergency response to monkeypox and mobilizing additional CDC personnel and resources,” the Atlanta-based agency stated in a news release, noting it will allow for increased operational support needed to “meet the outbreak’s evolving challenges.”
By 5 p.m. EDT Monday, the CDC had confirmed 244 monkeypox cases across 26 states and the District of Columbia.
Nearly 4,000 cases have been diagnosed globally since the outbreak began in May, according to World Health Organization data.
The activated emergency operations center comprises more than 300 CDC staff in collaboration with local, national and international response partners, the agency stated.
Typically endemic to parts of West Africa, monkeypox typically begins with flu-like symptoms and swelling of the lymph nodes before progressing to a rash on the face and body. Most infections last two to four weeks, KSDK reported.
In addition to fever, headache, back pain, muscle aches and low energy, monkeypox can also cause a rash and lesions on the face or genitals.
Specifically, the CDC is now advising health care providers to test any patient with a rash with clinical suspicion for monkeypox and consider testing, WSB-TV reported.
There is no known treatment for the virus, but smallpox vaccines and antiviral treatments can be used to help control outbreaks, the TV station reported.
Per the CDC, “early data suggest that gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men make up a high number of cases. However, anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has monkeypox is at risk.”
To date, California has confirmed the most infections with 62 cases, followed by New York with 37 cases and Florida and Illinois with 27 cases each. Meanwhile, the District of Columbia has confirmed 16 cases; Massachusetts has confirmed 13 cases; Colorado and Texas have each confirmed seven cases; Hawaii has confirmed six cases; Georgia and Maryland have each confirmed five cases; Washington has confirmed four cases; Utah and Virginia have each confirmed three cases; Indiana, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania have each confirmed two cases; and Arizona, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon and Rhode Island have each confirmed one case, according to CDC data.
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