The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned Americans that spring and summer could see a spike in mpox cases, formerly known as monkeypox.
The CDC raised concerns in a memo on Monday as people gear to attend festivals and crowded gatherings.
In the Chicago region, the CDC is now looking into 12 confirmed cases of mpox and one possible case. Between April 17 and May 5, the Chicago Department of Public Health received these instances, according to USA Today.
The World Health Organization's announcement that the mpox public health emergency had ended and the CDC study both came out at the same time.
The CDC predicted that people meeting at numerous events in this year's spring and summer could cause a mpox outbreak. The CDC has recorded at least 36 new cases in the last month alone throughout the nation, showing an increase in infections despite a week with no cases reported.
Dr. Chris Braden of the CDC raised alarm about the possibility of an upsurge in cases like the one in Chicago at an emergency conference called by the National Coalition of STD Directors.
Federal officials are concerned about a possible uptick in infections even if the number of confirmed cases is still less than it was at the height of the mpox outbreak in 2022.
Although there have been isolated new instances reported in New York City and California, no recurrence has been detected. However, wastewater discoveries in other jurisdictions have sparked new worries, CBS News reported.
Experts Advice Getting Mpox Jabs
Weill Cornell Medicine's Center for Pandemic Prevention and Response head, Dr. Jay Varma, emphasized the lack of assurance around both vaccine-induced and inborn protection from the virus.
He underlined that while there might be an increase in mpox cases, it is unlikely to be of the same magnitude as the mpox epidemic from the previous year because of prior infections and immunizations, CNN reported. However, the length of protection is unknown, and the number of unvaccinated sexually active people is rising.
Dr. Varma informed the public that the mpox vaccine is still safe and effective, and it was crucial in lowering transmission during the mpox outbreak last year despite these difficulties.
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