9 Monkeypox Cases Confirmed in the US... White House Says "Never Seen This Scale"

Confirmed Cases Reported in Seven U.S. States Including California and Florida

On the 27th, passengers arriving on a flight from Europe at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 are waiting to undergo quarantine for overseas infectious diseases such as monkeypox. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] U.S. health authorities have confirmed a total of 9 cases of monkeypox across 7 states in the United States, raising concerns about the spread of monkeypox.

According to The New York Times, on the 26th (local time), Dr. Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stated at a briefing that "suspected cases were identified by local healthcare providers and then confirmed through laboratory testing."

The CDC conducted additional tests on these samples and confirmed the diagnosis. Dr. Walensky mentioned, "Public health measures have been implemented to assist in managing and treating those who may have been exposed." The states with confirmed cases are California, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

Dr. Walensky noted that some of the infected individuals are believed to have contracted the virus from people who had traveled abroad. Monkeypox is an endemic disease in Central and Western Africa, including Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria, but recently it has spread beyond endemic regions, starting with the United Kingdom and extending to Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Australia, increasing global concern.

Dr. Walensky emphasized that the risk of monkeypox exposure is not limited to any specific group. He said, "Stigma and discrimination in public health lead to reduced access to treatment, ongoing disease transmission, and a muted response to outbreaks and threats," urging people to seek care without fear of stigma or discrimination. This statement appears to address concerns about discrimination and hate following reports that some monkeypox cases involved members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that as of this day, over 200 cumulative confirmed cases have been identified in more than 20 non-endemic countries. Additionally, there are over 100 suspected cases, prompting WHO to request countries to enhance surveillance efforts. In this context, the White House Senior Director for Global Health Security and Biodefense stated at a briefing, "We have never seen monkeypox at this scale and scope globally before."

Meanwhile, WHO generally considers that monkeypox, which is mainly transmitted through close physical and skin contact, is unlikely to escalate into a pandemic like COVID-19. The fatality rate in non-endemic regions is around 1%, which is not very high, and vaccines and treatments are available. Monkeypox is known to have an 85% prevention efficacy with the smallpox vaccine.