Xinhua News Agency Beijing, June 11th. The number of confirmed cases of monkeypox in the United States has increased recently. Health experts warn that some cases have subtle symptoms and are difficult to detect, and they should be more vigilant and strengthen routine testing.
Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on the 10th that 45 confirmed cases of monkeypox have been found in the United States so far, doubling the number from the previous week.
This is the American flag taken in Times Square, New York, USA on May 17. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Ying
Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It can be transmitted from animals to humans and can also be transmitted from person to person. Symptoms of monkeypox usually include fever, severe headache, muscle aches, back pain, lack of energy, swollen lymph nodes and rash or skin lesions.
According to Walensky, the symptoms of some monkeypox cases diagnosed in the United States are not typical, and some cases may have symptoms similar to sexually transmitted diseases, such as herpes, leading to misdiagnosis.
"We are seeing some cases with subtle symptoms, sometimes with lesions only appearing in certain parts of the body, which is different from the typical symptoms seen in cases in countries where monkeypox is endemic in west-central Africa," she said. "This raises concerns that some cases may not be infected. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, finding cases is crucial to curbing the spread of monkeypox virus. Walensky urged doctors and the public to be more vigilant.
html On May 17, pedestrians passed a new coronavirus testing point in Times Square, New York, USA. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Ying According to Reuters report, the United States has carried out about 300 monkeypox virus tests. Some infectious disease experts say a significant increase in testing is still needed to control the spread of the monkeypox virus.
"Right now, there aren't enough tests for monkeypox in the United States," said Tom Ingelsby, director of the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins University.
Walensky said on the 10th that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working with the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Healthcare and Medicaid Services to expand the institutions that provide monkeypox testing services from public laboratories to commercial laboratories. .
Monkeypox is mainly endemic in western and central regions of Africa, but recently many non-monkeypox endemic countries have reported cases of monkeypox. According to Reuters statistics, as of the 10th, a total of more than 1,300 monkeypox cases have been reported in about 30 non-monkeypox-endemic countries around the world, most of which are in Europe. (Liu Xi)
Source: Xinhua News Agency
