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Across the U.S., four new cases of monkeypox have been reported.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are now 25 cases across the U.S.
There are five each in California and New York and two each in Colorado, Illinois and Utah.
Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington state have all separately reported one case of the monkeypox virus.
US OFFICIALS FIND 2 MONKEYPOX STRAINS
Some cases – like one in Florida – were no longer listed in the agency’s data.
On Friday, U.S. health officials said genetic analysis of recent monkeypox cases suggests there are two distinct strains of the virus.
Monkeypox on a child in Nigeria
(Credits: Nigeria Centre for Disease Control via WHO)
The findings raise the possibility that it has been circulating undetected for some time.
The CDC’s Jennifer McQuiston says more analysis will be necessary to determine just how long it has been in the U.S.
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“I think it’s certainly possible that there could have been monkeypox cases in the United States that went under the radar previously, but not to any great degree,” she told reporters. However, she added, “there could be community level transmission that is happening” in parts of U.S. where the virus has not yet been identified.
The CDC said it is aware of more than 700 cases that have been detected in countries worldwide.
No deaths have been reported in the outbreak and the majority of patients recover without requiring hospitalization.
Monkeypox, which is related to smallpox, has milder symptoms.
Some of those symptoms include fever, chills, rash and aches, before lesions develop.
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To treat monkeypox, some smallpox vaccines and therapeutics are available, although no vaccines have been specifically developed against monkeypox.
Dr. Raj Panjabi, White House senior director for global health security and biodefense, said Friday that around 1,200 doses of vaccine have been offered in the U.S.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
