US distributes monkeypox vaccines to the most vulnerable populations

you we Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said at a news conference that they plan to distribute monkeypox vaccines and medical treatments to close contacts of infected people.

The country records five confirmed or probable cases.

The World Health Organization says there is no evidence that the monkeypox virus has mutated

There is one confirmed case in Massachusetts and four more cases of orthopoxviruses – from the same family of monkeypox. One case of orthopoxvirus was recorded in New York, another in Florida, and the remaining two cases in Utah. It’s all in men.

The genetic sequence of the Massachusetts case matches that of a patient in Portugal who belongs to a West African strain, the least aggressive of the two extant monkeypox strains.

“Right now, we hope to increase the distribution of vaccines to those we know can benefit from them,” said Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of the Division of Pathogens and Serious Consequences. These would be “people who have been in contact with a monkeypox patient, their healthcare professionals, and their closest acquaintances, especially those who may be at risk of developing a serious illness.”

In terms of width, the we Contains about 1,000 doses of JYNNEOS Complex, an FDA-approved vaccine. we For smallpox and common monkeypox, “this level is expected to rise rapidly in the coming weeks as the company provides us with more doses,” Jennifer said. The country also has about 100 million doses of a previous generation vaccine, called ACAM2000, with JYNNEOS being the safest option, according to the official.

People who are immunosuppressed or who have certain skin conditions, including eczema, are at high risk, said epidemiologist John Brooks.

The CDC is also developing a treatment guide to allow the deployment of the antivirals tecovirimat and brincidofovir, both of which are licensed to treat smallpox.