More than 26,000 confirmed cases of monkeypox have already been recorded in the United States as of Monday, October 3, according to the latest data released by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
California has the highest number of confirmed cases in the United States so far, with 5,010 cases. It is followed by New York State (3,948 cases) and Florida (2,543 cases), according to CDC data.
It is unlikely that the monkeypox virus can be eliminated from the United States in the near future, according to a report released by the CDC last week.
The CDC said the outbreak is slowing as vaccine availability increases and people become more aware of how to avoid infection.
Monkeypox is rarely fatal, with most cases resolving on their own within two to four weeks. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the disease has a mortality rate of around 3 to 6%.
Immunocompromised people, however, are more likely to develop a severe form of the disease when infected, according to the CDC.