Washington, June 24 (Representative) Five monkeypox cases in the United States occurred in women despite the fact the disease being most prevalent among gay and bisexual men, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. The CDC made the announcement during a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on the monkeypox situation in the United States on Thursday.
Five out of 155 analyzed cases occurred in individuals born as women and a total of 120 cases occurred as a result of male-to-male sexual contact, according to CDC data shared during the meeting. The median age of infected individuals was 37-years old, with an age range of 20-years to 76-years old, according to the CDC data. The CDC said the cases have been recorded in 24 US states and in the District of Columbia.
The states of California and New York have the highest incidence of infections reports so far, according to the CDC. Monkeypox is a rare viral disease that is usually transmitted to people from wild animals and is endemic in some African countries. The disease can be transferred through body fluids, respiratory droplets and other contaminated materials. The disease usually results in fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes. Several prominent US doctors have spoken publicly that the disease is easily identifiable and treatable, and the public should not panic.