Doctors warn new version of MPox may lead to a faster rise in cases

WSBTV.com News Staff
·2 min read
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Doctors warn new version of MPox may lead to a faster rise in cases

Cases of MPox, formerly known as monkeypox, are rising in the United States and doctors say fewer people are protecting themselves with the vaccine.

Channel 2′s Karyn Greer has the latest on the new warning about a new subtype we did not see during the outbreak a few years ago.

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MPox is a less severe cousin of the eradicated smallpox virus. The latest information from the CDC shows why it’s such a big deal for Georgia.

A map shows cases by state during the 2022-2023 outbreak. The chart below ranks them and Georgia was fifth in the country with 2,075 cases. Now, doctors warn a new version may lead to a faster rise in cases.

“We’re not even halfway through the year. So the concern is that those numbers may increase,” said Dr. Jarod Fox with Infectious Diseases at Orlando Health.

Already, Mpox cases are about 70% higher than they were at this time last year. Fox said anyone can get the disease, but men who have sex with other men are at greater risk.

It spreads through close contact and there’s a growing concern about how many people are protected

The CDC said in most states, less than a quarter of the population at risk has been fully vaccinated.

“It’s highly effective at preventing disease and especially preventing complications associated with Mpox,” said Fox.

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In December, the CDC also warned about another subtype of the virus that’s been around in Africa.

It spreads more easily and causes more severe symptoms than the one from the 2022 outbreak.

“We wanna get the word out that if you’re in the high-risk populations that have been most affected by Mpox that you get vaccinated,” said Fox.

MPox symptoms are typically Flu-like.

They include fever, chills, headache.

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