The US saw a surge of monkeypox infections among children, news agencies reported. According to ABC News, more than 11 states and jurisdictions have reported paediatric cases. Officials speaking to the news agency said that at least 31 children have tested positive for monkeypox.
The Texas Department of State Health Services say they have recorded nine paediatric cases in the state. The Florida Department of Health also said that three children under the age of four are infected with the virus. These children are from Brevard County, Martin and Monroe.
The US is currently the worst-infected country as total monkeypox cases inch towards 19,000. Earlier in July, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) citing preliminary data warned that children who are younger than 8 years of age can develop severe illness if they are infected with monkeypox.
The CDC data suggests that there are 18,989 monkeypox and orthopoxvirus cases across the country. All 50 states have reported monkeypox cases. The highest number of cases were reported in New York and California, with 3,310 and 3,629 cases respectively.
Texas confirmed earlier that a man who was diagnosed with monkeypox died. The person was an adult from Harris County who was severely immunocompromised.
The Biden administration assured citizens of enough monkeypox vaccines but health officials say the shots are not reaching the people who are the most vulnerable. The CDC says that 10% of monkeypox vaccine doses were given to Black Americans but they account for one-third of US cases.
Earlier a report by Bloomberg News revealed that Black and Hispanic Americans did not have equal access to the monkeypox vaccine as the vaccination program was rolled out.
Even though the vaccination program attempted to cover all demographics, the centres were mostly set up in areas which were affluent and the vaccination rates were also high in the rich, white neighbourhoods.
The other group that has faced vaccine inequity as Hispanic Americans. Hispanic Americans account for 32% of the cases but most were unable to vaccinate themselves as the CDC could not reach out to those most vulnerable in time.
Chicago, Washington and New York City along with other major cities were among those who failed to reach out to vulnerable groups.
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