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By Estel Farell-Roig Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is on the rise in the US, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. The country as seen the number of infections double compared to this time last year. While the 2022 outbreak which saw cases across the country reach 32,000 is largely over, experts say some high-risk groups should continue taking extra precautions. According to a CDC expert, most reported cases are people who are either unvaccinated or under-vaccinated which means they only had one dose. The Jynneos vaccine is two doses and is advised for tho
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MPOX cases are continuing to spread because protection from vaccines is fading, a study suggests.
Tens of thousands of Brits were jabbed against the virus previously known as monkeypox after an outbreak in the summer 2022.
But immunity from the vaccine may already be at zero, Swedish researchers suggested.
It means booster doses - and more widespread vaccination - may be needed in order to prevent another surge.
The vaccination programme in the UK ended in July 2023.
Cases of mpox are currently double the number seen this time last year in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC).
Dr Klara Sonden, of the Public Health Agency of Sweden, said: Our results indicate a rapid decline in neutralising antibodies after two doses.
These results, together with the continued spread of mpox in Europe, has prompted the consideration of a booster dose.
Long-term protective immunity might need a booster dose for its maintenance.
Mpox causes a blistering rash, a high temperature, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen glands, shivering, exhaustion and joint pain.
The global mpox outbreak exploded two years ago, with more than 30,000 cases in the US and 3,500 in the UK getting infected.
The virus was particularly prevalent in gay and bisexual men and it killed three people in the UK and 32 in the US.
The disease was declared no longer a public health emergency in the US last year, with cases dipping thanks to a mass vaccination scheme.
However, latest CDC data show some 570 cases have been detected in the US so far this year twice the number at the same point in 2023.
Health officials last week issued a warning that cases are increasing in Virginia, with four patients hospitalised since the start of the year.
Dr Brandy Darby, of the Virginia Department of Health, told CNN: We felt like it was really important to get the word out that there is a continued risk from this virus. It's still here.
We also wanted to give people time to protect themselves ahead of Pride season.
"We're hoping this might encourage people to go ahead and get vaccinated so they can go out and enjoy their celebrations and not have to worry so much about mpox."
Mpox is a virus that is more common in west or central Africa and is spread by physical contact with mpox blisters or scabs, including during sexual contact.
Touching clothing, bedding or towels used by someone with mpox and the coughs or sneezes of a person with mpox when they're close to you can also spread it.
The latest study, which will be presented at this years European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Barcelona, looked at how strong immunity is now.
Researchers looked at data from 100 men who visited a sexual health clinic in Stockholm in 2022.
They tested their blood before their first dose of a MVA vaccine, before their second dose, 28 days after their second dose, and three months after their second dose.
The MVA vaccine is a version of the smallpox vaccine. It was offered to those most at risk people in the UK in the summer of 2022, including gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.
The study found disease-fighting antibodies fell within a year of vaccination, and to zero within the first few months if the patients hadn't had a smallpox vaccine previously.
Some 67 of the 100 tested were certain they had never had a smallpox vaccine before - the jab was de-escalated globally in the 1970s after the disease was eliminated.
The study said among those without prior smallpox vaccination, fewer than half of the group showed any detectable antibodies at all 28 days after the second vaccination.
Dr Sonden said: Our findings corroborate other studies showing that mpox vaccination results in neutralising antibodies only in a proportion of vaccinees.
A significant decline occurs already during the first month post-vaccination.
Immunity after previous MPXV infection mounts a higher and more robust neutralising response. In conclusion, the findings merits the study of booster doses.
The researchers were backed by another team in Austria, who have reported a breakthrough case in a man who has had two doses of the vaccine.
A 35-year-old was fully vaccinated in November 2022, but fell unwell with mpox in January 2024 - even more severe than those unvaccinated, the Public Health Authority in Vienna stated.
A second breakthrough case reported in March 2024 is under investigation.
The MVA vaccine was originally given as one dose to those most at-risk in the UK due to a shortage.
But now, the second dose is offered around three months after the first.
The NHS mpox outbreak vaccination programme ended in July 2023. But it is still available in London and Greater Manchester to eligible people.
The first symptoms of monkeypox include:
Source:The NHS
The number of mpox cases in 2024 is already nearly double the number of cases that were detected in all of 2023.
The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recorded 582 cases of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, across all U.S. states and territories in 2024 to date. In 2023, a cumulative 299 cases were detected across the entire year.
The Middle Atlantic region New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania is currently reporting the highest number at 185 cases.
Mpox surged in the U.S. during 2022 when cases spread through the social networks of men who have sex with men. In the U.S., more than 32,000 cases of mpox were detected that year along with 58 total deaths.
The outbreak subsided through outreach and awareness as well as the use of the two-dose smallpox vaccine Jynneos, though access to this shot was hindered at first by limited supplies and poor planning.
Symptoms of the virus are flu-like and include a characteristic painful rash. It is primarily spread through skin contact, but unwashed clothing and bedsheets of an infected individual can also be a vector of transmission.
The public health emergency declaration for the mpox outbreak was allowed to expire in January 2023. Cases of mpox never quite reached zero, however, with the virus continuing to linger in the U.S.
There were concerns last year that a localized spread of mpox cases in Chicago could be the harbinger of a summer resurgence last May, though this ultimately didnt occur.
Bavarian Nordic, the manufacturer of Jynneos, announced Tuesday that its vaccine would now be commercially available in the U.S.
Through its existing nationwide vaccine distribution structure, Bavarian Nordic is now making the mpox vaccine commercially available across the nation. As of April 1, health care providers can order JYNNEOS through their preferred wholesaler and distribution partners to make it available for at-risk individuals at local pharmacies and physician offices in addition to public health clinics, the company said in a statement.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Toronto Public Health will begin hosting a series of clinics to provide "low-barrier, convenient and equitable access" to mpox vaccinations on Wednesday.
According to TPH, 21 cases of mpox have been confirmed in Toronto since the start of this year, compared with a total of 27 cases for all of 2023.
The city is encouraging eligible residents to get vaccinated against the virus.
The first clinic on Wednesday will be available for walk-in appointments only, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The 519, a community centre at 519 Church Street.
The second clinic will run on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at . This clinic will not accept walk-ins and eligible residents will need to book appointments using TPHs online booking system.
The city will announce additional clinic locations, dates, and times on their website as they become available.
Additionally, eligible residents can receive the vaccine by appointment at the Crosswaysand Scarborough Sexual Health Clinics.
The vaccine is free of charge, and an OHIP card is not required. Residents can also inquire about vaccine availability where they currently access sexual healthcare services, according to TPH.
The public health unit said the virus has recently spread mostly between people who have had intimate or sexual contact, with men who have sex with men being the most affected.
The virus spreads through contact with infected lesions, skin blisters, body fluids or respiratory secretions.
Symptoms can start five to 21 days after exposure and include fever, headache, muscle aches, exhaustion, swollen lymph nodes and a rash or blisters and lesions on the skin.
Individuals who are members of the LGBTQ+ community who had a confirmed sexually transmitted infection, have or are planning to have two or more sexual partners, or have attended venues for sexual contact such as sex clubs are among those eligible to receive the mpox vaccine.
Eligible individuals who have not been vaccinated against mpox are encouraged to get their first dose of the vaccine as soon as possible, with a second dose given at least 28 days later, TPH said, adding that individuals planning to travel soon are encouraged to get vaccinated before leaving, as cases are being reported in various regions around the world. They say, the vaccine becomes most effective after two weeks.
The monkeypox disease comes from the same family of viruses that cause smallpox, which the World Health Organization declared eradicated around the globe in 1980. Smallpox vaccines have proven effective in combating the monkeypox virus.
With files from The Canadian Press
Vaccines urged amidst rise in Measles and Mpox cases
by Brittany Slaughter
FILE- Vials of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine sit in a cooler at the Rockland County Health Department in Pomona, N.Y., March 27, 2019. A midwife on New York's Long Island, who gave nearly 1,500 children homeopathic pellets instead of required vaccinations, has been fined $300,000, the state's health department announced this week. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
(WSET)
Health officials are urging you to get vaccinated amid a rise in Measles and MPOX, otherwise known as Monkey Pox cases.
According to the Virginia Department of Health, there has been an increase in the diseases globally and in Virginia.
As of March, there were five Mpox cases and one case of Measles in Virginia.
Cynthia Morrow is the Health District Director for Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts, she said vaccination is a choice, but key to prevention.
"As long as people understand the risks of not getting vaccinated and they make that informed choice, that is their decision. Thankfully, at the population level we still have very high rates of vaccinations particularly for measles," Morrow said.
Morrow said Measles is one of the most contagious viruses, but she doesn't expect widespread cases due to high enough vaccination rates.
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Kinshasa05-04-2024Health - The Provincial Health Division of South Kivu announces the occurrence of two hundred and thirty-nine cases of Monkeypox, including three deaths within six months in the South Kivu province.
The majority are from Mwenga where 160 cases including three deaths were reported, and in Bukavu, across two health zones, three cases of Monkey pox have been registered.
Dr. Justin Bengehya has indicated that all these patients have been taken care of free of charge thanks to the support of the World Health Organization (WHO).
He revealed some strategies that have been taken to prevent the spread of this disease, namely: strengthening communication in the community and community-based surveillance.
Safi Meta
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says cows in multiple states have tested positive for bird flu. Charlie Litchfield/AP hide caption
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says cows in multiple states have tested positive for bird flu.
On Monday, a person in Texas tested positive for bird flu also known as the highly pathogenic avian influenza after coming in contact with dairy cattle presumed to be infected.
The virus, which is highly contagious among wild birds and poultry, has now spread to dairy farms, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Not only is this the first time that bird flu has been found in dairy cattle, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, but this is also only the second time a human has contracted the virus in the U.S.
Government and health officials say that the risk to the public remains low, since there have been no recorded instances in the U.S. of human-to-human transmission of avian flu.
All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro spoke to Dr. Mandy Cohen, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about the potential risks and the government's response.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Ari Shapiro: The CDC says the risk to humans from the H5N1 flu that is driving this outbreak is low. Right now, it appears that the two cases in humans were from contact with sick animals. Do you have any reason to believe that humans could pass this on to each other?
Mandy Cohen: So we have never seen a case of human-to-human spread of avian flu here in the United States. And the version of avian flu that we're seeing in cattle, and in this one human case, is the same strain [H5N1] that we have seen previously in birds. We've never seen that spread human to human. That all being said, [what] we've learned through COVID in our experience is: viruses change, and we need to stay ahead of it. That's why we at CDC and the whole of U.S. government is taking this very seriously and monitoring the situation very closely.
CDC director Mandy Cohen in 2023. Win McNamee/Getty Images hide caption
CDC director Mandy Cohen in 2023.
Shapiro: You say we need to stay ahead of it. Tell us what that involves, what are the steps you're taking?
Cohen: One is obviously working very closely to make sure we're understanding the extent of the spread, how many cattle and farm[s] are involved, and then obviously looking for any humans that are in contact with cattle or sick birds, and testing folks that have symptoms, and making sure that we're understanding if it has spread to other folks. So far, there's only been one case in Texas. The person had very mild symptoms. They're recovering well. But we want to make sure, again, that we are testing folks who may have been in contact.
Shapiro: You said widespread testing is important is there a risk that cases are going to go under the radar because people are afraid to report? Whether it's farm owners who don't want their operation to be shut down or farm workers who might not have health coverage.
Cohen: We're working closely with our state and local partners, our partners through agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and farm workers. Again, we want to get ahead of this. So we're trying to talk folks through it and build trust, and folks have really been receptive. We've been particularly working with a lot of the veterinarians that are part of the farms that have been impacted. So far, all working well together.
Shapiro: Cows were not thought to be a species at high risk, and so if the virus is now spreading in cows, what are the chances that it could mutate to become a risk to humans?
Cohen: Well, it is true this is the first time we've seen avian flu, or "bird flu," in cattle. And, as you know, cows are mammals, so this is a new reservoir or a group of animals that we are seeing this virus in. And that just means more opportunity for this virus to mutate and change. And that's what we want to make sure we are continuing to stay ahead of.
Shapiro: Monitoring whether it continues to spread and evolve is one thing preparing for the possibility that it might is another. In a New York Times opinion piece, columnist Zeynep Tufekci said the government needs to gear up to potentially mass produce vaccines quickly. Do you agree with that?
Cohen: Well, the good news is the United States has been preparing for avian flu outbreaks for more than 20 years. We've invested in our ability to test for this, to prevent it and to treat it. And we know that the strain we're seeing right now is the same strain we have seen before. And we believe from all of our laboratory testing that our test will pick this up. Our treatment, which is Tamiflu, which we have both doses in stockpile and around the country, works. And we even have vaccine candidates that are ready to go. So it's very different than what we experienced, for example, at the beginning of COVID, when we're seeing a brand new novel virus where we didn't have tests, we didn't have treatment and we didn't have vaccine.
Shapiro: But just specifically, if it does take time to mass produce vaccines, is that something the U.S. should be doing in earnest right now on the chance that the virus evolves?
Cohen: We have never seen a transmission from a human-to-human. That is something we are watching for very closely. And so there may be trigger points where we would move to thinking about scaling up vaccine. But remember, there's always a tradeoff there if we move to manufacturing one type of vaccine, it may be at the expense of being able to manufacture that vaccine for the seasonal flu. Again, something that also impacts us. So, we have the ability to scale up if we need to. And again, we've already started down that process and we'll keep monitoring to see if we need to trigger and do that.
Shapiro: The cases so far have all been in dairy cows. Should people be concerned about consuming milk and other dairy products?
Cohen: [The] FDA has indicated that our milk supply is safe because of the pasteurization process. Unpasteurized and raw milk remains a risk, but the vast majority of our milk supply is safe because of pasteurization.
A person in Texas has been diagnosed with a highly virulent strain of bird flu, the first such case since the virus was detected in a handful of dairy cattle in several states across the country last week.
The Texas Department of State Health Services said in a statement Monday that the infected person worked on a dairy farm where some cows tested positive last week for the H5N1 strain of bird flu, which is considered to be a highly pathogenic, or infectious, strain. The patients main symptom was pink eye.
Sid Miller, commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture, said its not yet clear whether the person was infected by a dairy cow or through the same source that infected the dairy cows, which appears to be dead waterfowl that were found on the property.
Regardless of the source, Miller said the public should not be worried.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a similar statement Monday, saying, This infection does not change the H5N1 bird flu human health risk assessment for the U.S. general public, which CDC considers to be low.
Cases of this particular strain of avian flu in humans are rare but fatal in more than 50% of those infected, according to the CDC. A 21-year-old man in Vietnam died March 23 after being infected with the virus, according to a statement from the Vietnamese Ministry of Health.
The case in Texas is the second human case of this strain of bird flu ever detected in the U.S. The first case was confirmed in 2022, in a Colorado man who was a state prison inmate and exposed to the virus while working on a poultry farm as part of a pre-release employment program. The mans only symptom was fatigue. He was treated with an antiviral and recovered, according to a CDC report.
There have also been four cases in people infected with a less virulent strain of bird flu in the U.S.; there have been more cases of both types of the virus in humans in other parts of the world, according to the CDC.
The often-deadly virus, which spreads quickly among birds, including domesticated chickens, has been spreading more rapidly among nonbird species, including polar bears, foxes and marine mammals.
The first-ever cases of the H5N1 strain in dairy cows were detected last week in Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico and Texas. These cases came just days after goats on a farm in Minnesota tested positive for the virus, though Miller noted the cases did not appear to be spreading rapidly and that the cases in cattle were relatively isolated.
Dr. Jeff Bender, a professor of public health and public health veterinarian at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, said that as birds carry out their spring migrations, there will likely be more pockets of outbreaks in other animals.
Thats what is driving what we are seeing with the cattle, as these birds are doing their spring migration, they may be shedding the virus, Bender said, noting that the birds feces could contaminate animals water sources.
In a statement last week, the CDC said it considers the human health risk to the U.S. public from the virus to be low, though people who work with livestock are at higher risk of infection. The agency also advised against eating unpasteurized dairy products, such as raw milk or cheese, from animals with suspected or confirmed cases of bird flu.
Commercial milk and meat is safe, Bender said.
No milk from the infected cows entered the food supply, Miller, the Texas commissioner, said.
If it were to, high heat in pasteurization and cooking would kill the virus, Bender said.
According to the CDC statement, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it does not expect the bird flu cases in cattle to affect food safety or supply in the U.S.
There shouldnt be increases in prices in milk or milk products, Miller said.
Right now, the H5N1 strain does not appear to be airborne, and the virus does not appear to have mutated to spread between cows, which is important, Bender said.
That is something that needs to be monitored at this early stage, he said. We know how influenza changes. We need to know, do we have cattle-to-cattle transmission? That means the virus is adapting and it means there are more chances for the virus to change.
Some of these changes could make the virus more adept at infecting humans, or allow it to jump from person to person.
We need that information so we can, if needed, respond to an emerging pandemic, Bender said.
If the virus begins to infect pigs, that would be cause for worry, he added.
Swine have the ability to mix influenza viruses and they are more similar to humans, so that would be more likely to spill over into humans, he said.
There is a small stockpile of vaccinations for avian flu the CDC can deploy if the virus begins spreading from person to person, and existing antiviral drugs, such as Tamiflu, can be used to treat bird flu in people, according to the CDC.
The public need not panic, Miller said. Were still in the early stages of understanding it, but were on top of it.
Kaitlin Sullivan
Kaitlin Sullivan is a contributor for NBCNews.com who has worked with NBC News Investigations.She reports on health, science and the environment andis a graduate of theCraig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at City University of New York.
The largest egg producer in the United States said Tuesday that it temporarily ceased operations at one of its Texas facilities after detecting bird flu in chickens the latest in a steady uptick of cases among U.S. farm animals in recent weeks.
Cal-Maine Foods said it culled about 1.6 million hens and 337,000 pullets (young hens) after some of its chickens at a Parmer County, Texas, facility tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), caused by influenza A viruses that spread widely among wild and domestic birds.
A dairy worker in Texas was being treated for the virus that causes avian influenza, becoming only the second known human case in the United States, state and federal officials said Monday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the person tested positive for H5N1 bird flu.
The culled chickens at Cal-Maine Foods represent 3.6 percent of its flock as of March 2, it said. The company said no farm is immune from HPAI but added that it remains dedicated to robust biosecurity programs across its locations.
Minnesota officials reported the first infection of bird flu among livestock in the United States last month, when a juvenile goat living on a farm with infected chickens tested positive.
Last month, bird flu was also detected in dairy cows in Texas and Kansas. Later that week, U.S. officials said that cows in Michigan had tested positive and that there were presumptive positive tests among cows in Idaho and New Mexico, suggesting that the virus may be spreading among cattle.
On Tuesday, Michigans Department of Agriculture and Rural Development announced that bird flu was detected at a commercial poultry plant in Ionia County, the fourth detection of HPAI in a commercial facility since the virus was first spotted in the state in 2022.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture also said Tuesday that cases were detected in a dairy cow herd in Idaho.
Officials have said the risk to human health remains low. But the CDC has warned that people with unprotected exposure to infected birds or other animals, including livestock, are at greater risk of infection.
People should also avoid uncooked or undercooked food, unpasteurized milk and raw cheese, according to the CDC. Cooking eggs or poultry to an internal temperature of about 165 degrees Fahrenheit generally kills bacteria and viruses, including bird flu viruses, it says. Backyard chickens or pet chickens are at risk if they come in contact with wild birds carrying the virus.
Human symptoms of bird flu include eye redness, fever, coughing, sore throat, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or seizures are less common, the CDC said.
The first human case of avian influenza in Texas this week has prompted Congress to gather information about the risks to public health and agriculture.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention held a bipartisan briefing with congressional agriculture staff about the person infected after exposure to infected dairy cattle, according to a congressional aide. And members of Congress plan to schedule a meeting with the Agriculture Department, which announced last month that there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health.
The human case of bird flu in Texas, the second reported in the United States, comes as the House and Senate Agriculture committees are drafting a new farm bill that typically lasts for about five years and includes funding for the animal health system.
The last farm bill, enacted in 2018, provided $300 million for animal and health entities and initiatives between fiscal years 2019 and 2023. Congress extended that farm bill by a year, and it expires on Sept. 30.
The Texas case has launched a multiagency effort with the CDC, USDA, Food and Drug Administration, and Strategic Preparedness and Response Administration, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services. Federal agencies are also collaborating with state-level entities, including veterinarian, animal and human health groups.
Ben Goldey, communications director for Republicans on the House Agriculture Committee, said the panel has been closely monitoring this ongoing issue, and there isnt a single Member of the Committee who hasnt expressed concerns about this outbreak.
We appreciate USDAs ongoing coordination and regular updates and remain confident in USDA and CDCs assertion that there is no current threat to the food supply, Goldey said.
Bird flu, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1, or HPAI, has been on the committees radar since it was first detected in the U.S. in 2021. The highly contagious virus can impact both domestic and wild birds and is deadly to poultry. It poses a major threat to the poultry industry because it can eliminate entire flocks within days, slowing down domestic and international production.
During a February committee hearing, Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., expressed concern about the impact of the virus on the nations poultry producers. The department has confirmed that in the past 30 days, one commercial poultry flock in South Dakota tested positive, affecting more than 31,000 birds.
And in South Dakota, weve got a lot of turkeys. Weve got a lot of pheasants. Weve seen, as a country, 81 million dead birds as a result of high path, Johnson said. I mean, I think it is a terrible situation.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack responded to Johnsons concerns and said the department is probably 18 months or so away from being able to identify a vaccine that would be effective for this particular HPAI that were dealing with now.
Vilsack said the primary issue with the vaccine is that the virus mutates, and they are trying to develop a way to deliver the vaccine to thousands of birds. The department also reported that more than 82 million birds have been affected across 48 states since 2022.
Typically, infected birds are culled, which involves overheating poultry in a barn until the infected flock dies. Several animal welfare organizations have flagged concerns about culling.
Impacted farms are eligible to receive grants through the federal Livestock Indemnity Program. The program will cover 75 percent of the average fair market value of livestock. As of April 1, the department has detected the spread of the virus from poultry to dairy herds in Texas, Kansas, Michigan and New Mexico. The National Veterinary Services Laboratories are also analyzing a herd in Idaho that has a presumed positive.
According to the USDA, there are existing guardrails to prevent the spread of animal-borne diseases to humans. Dairy farms are required to destroy or divert milk originating from sick cows. And pasteurization, which is required for interstate milk commerce, has been proven to kill inactive bacteria and viruses, including bird flu.
The FDA is also not currently aware of any infected milk or cheese entering interstate commerce and does not recommend the selling of raw or unpasteurized dairy products.
The Texas individual who was infected with bird flu got sick after direct contact with dairy cattle and was told to isolate while receiving treatment. According to the CDC, the patient reported eye redness, consistent with conjunctivitis.
This infection does not change the H5N1 bird flu human health risk assessment for the U.S. general public, which CDC considers to be low, the CDC said in a press release.
In 2022, a person in Colorado tested positive for the disease from contact with poultry and experienced fatigue symptoms but has since recovered.
