The United States has reported its first monkeypox-related death in an immunocompromised adult in Texas, the Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed on Monday.
The announcement of the incident acknowledged that it is currently unclear what, if any, role the monkeypox infection played in the death of the patient, who resided in Harris County. The state added that they were currently investigating the situation, saying that the patient was "severely immunocompromised."
Monkeypox-Related Death
In a statement, DSHS Commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedy said that monkeypox is a serious disease, particularly for those who have weakened immune systems. He urged people to seek treatment if they have been exposed to monkeypox or have symptoms consistent with the illness.
The Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed that the fatality is the first known death of someone who was infected with monkeypox. It is also believed to be the first in the entire country, as there had not been any known fatalities in the nation before Tuesday, as per Fox News.
In a press release, the state agency said that a monkeypox infection, for most people, is painful but not life-threatening. But as a precaution, the department said that residents should see a healthcare provider if they were having fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, and a new unexplained rash.
If a person is diagnosed with monkeypox, the agency said that they should remain isolated at home until "the rash has fully resolved, the scabs have fallen off and a fresh layer of intact skin has formed."
According to ARS Technica, the death comes as the global case count of monkeypox is nearing 49,000 and the World Health Organization has only recorded 15 deaths related to monkeypox worldwide. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recorded 18,101 cases as of Aug. 29, 2022.
Rarity of Casualties
In a White House briefing on Tuesday afternoon, Jennifer McQuiston, the deputy director of the CDC's Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, highlighted the uncertainty around the death and rarity of fatalities from monkeypox in this outbreak.
"It's our understanding that this patient also had underlying health conditions and had a number of things going on. I think that additional investigation is needed to know what role monkeypox may or may not have played in their death," said McQuiston.
Of all the international deaths related to monkeypox that have been reported, some have involved people with compromised immune systems while others did not. One victim was a 41-year-old man in Brazil who died with monkeypox and reportedly had lymphoma and was immunocompromised.
However, two people in Spain who died while infected with monkeypox were not thought to be immunocompromised and were considered previously healthy. Health officials noted that anyone can become infected with the illness, which spreads through close contact with an infected individual.
Experts have noted that out of the tens of thousands of monkeypox cases in the United States, the majority were gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with other men, based on data from the CDC, Reuters reported.
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