2023-05-14 22:00:00
Chicago health authorities have reported a new cluster of thirteen cases of Mpox (Monkeypox or monkey pox) since mid-April, reports the American site Pos. This new cluster is the largest observed in the United States since the beginning of the year. As was the case during the surge last summer, those newly diagnosed are men who have sex with men (MSM). It should be noted that nine of them (69%) were fully vaccinated. All cases were mild and none required treatment, suggesting that the vaccine prevents serious illness, although it does not fully protect against infection. Experts urge those most at risk—mainly MSM—to receive both doses of the Jynneos vaccine against the Mpox virus. Vaccination is particularly important for people living with HIV who are at an advanced stage of infection (less than 200 CD4 cells/mm3) because they are most likely to develop a severe form of the disease. However, more than half of those affected in recent clusters were fully vaccinated, suggesting that immunity may wane after vaccination or prior infection. “If we don’t renew vaccination and prevention efforts, we risk seeing smallpox reappear,” White House deputy smallpox coordinator Dr. Demetre Daskalakis told NBC News. “The vaccine is a very important tool, even if it is not perfect,” he added. Although the number of Mpox cases worldwide continues to decline globally, there are other areas of vigilance, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO African region reported a 7% increase in Mpox cases in the last two weeks of April; of the 111 newly confirmed cases, 106 were in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Japan and South Korea have also seen recent outbreaks. “We strongly recommend that sexually active members of our community get vaccinated against Mpox. For example, unvaccinated individuals planning to attend International Mr. Leather at the end of May should receive their first dose of vaccine as soon as possible,” said Patrick Gibbons, chief medical officer of Howard Brown Health, in a press release. “The more people who are vaccinated, the better the LGBTQ+ community will be protected against a new outbreak of Mpox this year.”
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