[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is monitoring the spread of the monkeypox virus and tracking whether infections have occurred within the country.
On the 20th (local time), according to CNN, the CDC is checking the infection status of six individuals who were on a flight from Nigeria to the United Kingdom earlier this month. These individuals were reportedly near confirmed monkeypox cases.
Christine Pearson, CDC spokesperson, confirmed that all six are currently healthy and show no symptoms. "They were not seated directly next to or in direct contact with the infected individuals at the time," she said. The risk of infection is considered low.
Separately from the CDC's epidemiological investigation, the New York City Department of Health announced that it is currently investigating whether a patient receiving isolated treatment in a hospital is infected with monkeypox. If the test is positive, virus samples will be sent to the CDC to confirm the monkeypox infection.
Earlier, a man from Massachusetts who had traveled to Canada was confirmed to have contracted the disease. Jennifer McQuiston, CDC deputy director, stated, "Monkeypox is usually reported only in West and Central Africa, so this is a very rare situation," but regarding the recent spread in Europe and elsewhere, she said, "the general public does not need to worry about an immediate risk of monkeypox."
The CDC is reviewing whether to administer smallpox vaccines to monkeypox patients and those at risk of infection. Discovered in 1958, monkeypox shows early symptoms similar to smallpox, such as fever, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue.
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