What You Need to Know
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed on Friday that two children in the United States have been diagnosed with monkeypox, raising concerns for parents still navigating the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC believes both cases resulted from household transmission. One child is a toddler from California, while the other is an infant visiting the country. Fortunately, both children are showing symptoms but are in stable condition, receiving treatment with the antiviral medication tecovirimat (also known as TPOXX).
Children under 8 are considered at a higher risk for infection. Historically, monkeypox has primarily spread through sexual contact, particularly within the gay male community, but it can also be transmitted through any close contact. The CDC indicated that such close contact includes holding, cuddling, or sharing personal items like towels, bedding, and utensils. Dr. Jennifer McQuiston, Deputy Director of the CDC’s Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, emphasized that given human social networks, cases could arise beyond the currently affected groups.
The CDC noted that both children were in households with men who had been exposed to the virus. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky mentioned that both cases are linked to individuals from the gay community. There is a monkeypox vaccine called Jynneos, which has mostly been administered to adults, but the government is now making it available to children under special protocols, primarily for those who are known or suspected to have been exposed.
While most current cases involve male-to-male sexual contact, monkeypox has been present in human populations since the 1970s and is endemic in Africa. In 2022, there have been over 15,000 reported cases globally, with around 2,800 cases in the U.S. alone. In Europe, at least six children have also been infected. Recently, the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a global emergency, indicating the need for international coordination, marking the second such emergency in two years following COVID-19.
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Summary
The CDC has confirmed two cases of monkeypox in children in the U.S., linked to household transmission. Both children are in good health and receiving treatment. The outbreak is primarily affecting the gay community, but the potential for wider transmission exists. The WHO has declared monkeypox a global emergency.