First Monkeypox Death in United States Confirmed in Los Angeles
Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Russell Regner/CDC via AP Monkeypox virions
Officials have confirmed that a Los Angeles resident has died from monkeypox, believed to be the first fatality from the virus in the United States.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the death on Monday following an autopsy.
Health officials noted that the resident was "severely immunocompromised" and was hospitalized. Additional information on the patient won't be released to the public due to privacy.
The death was first reported on Sept. 8 in a media briefing where the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health's Chief Medical Officer and Director Rita Singhal said an investigation was underway.
At the time, there were two U.S. deaths under investigation and awaiting autopsy reports to determine what role monkeypox played in the individuals' deaths.
The other possible monkeypox death was reported in Texas and the Harris County Public Health (HCPH) confirmed that the resident, who died on Aug. 28, also suffered from various severe illnesses.
The HCPH is awaiting an autopsy report and has yet to publicly confirm monkeypox as the cause of death.
Monkeypox spreads primarily through skin-to-skin contact, direct contact with bodily fluids or lesions. The main form of transmission is through respiratory droplets, but it would require prolonged contact with an infected person.
The virus can be prevented with the Jynneos smallpox vaccine, which can also be effective after a person is infected, according to the CDC. Along with the vaccine, medical professionals have also used an antiviral treatment called tecovirimat (TPOXX), to treat monkeypox in patients who are more likely to get severely ill.
As of Sept. 12, the United States has confirmed 21,985 cases of monkeypox, according to the CDC. Additionally, there have been 57,995 confirmed global cases of the virus across 103 countries.
