Health officials in the southern US state of Texas announced on Tuesday the death of a person with monkeypox. This is the first death potentially linked to monkeypox to be publicly reported by US authorities.
If the death is confirmed to have been caused by monkeypox, it will be the first such confirmed death in the United States, local media reported. Health officials, however, stressed that it was still too early to determine with certainty the role played by monkeypox in the death.
The patient was a “severely immunocompromised” adult, who suffered from “various serious illnesses”. He died Sunday at a Harris County hospital, a CBS News report said, citing Texas health officials.
Autopsy results are expected “in the coming weeks,” according to CBS.
“Monkey pox is a serious disease, especially for people with weakened immune systems,” John Hellerstedt, director of the Texas State Department of Health, said in a statement Monday.
More than 18,100 confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported across the country since the outbreak began in the spring. Of these cases, 93% occurred in men who reported recent sex with men.
Texas has 1,604 infections so far, making it the fourth worst-hit state.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said people at “increased risk of developing a severe form of monkeypox” include children under eight, pregnant or immunocompromised people. and people who have already suffered from eczema.
By Monday, monkeypox had claimed a total of 15 lives worldwide, excluding the United States, according to the CDC.
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