WASHINGTON — The first two cases of monkeypox in children have been confirmed in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
One is a non U.S. resident infant who was confirmed while traveling in Washington, D.C., and the other a toddler in California. In a statement, the CDC said the cases are unrelated to one another, and that both are "likely the result of household transmission."
The monkeypox virus is spread predominately via close physical contact with body fluids, sores, or items such as contaminated clothing or bedding, according to the CDC.
Although the majority of cases in the U.S. are connected to men having sex with men, health officials have been emphasizing that anyone can catch the virus.
Symptoms include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Back pain
- Muscle pain
- Chills
- Lack of energy
- A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appears on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus.
The Biden Administration has rolled out their monkeypox vaccination strategy to curb the spread in the U.S., but the supply of the vaccines available is not meeting the demand.
During a July 18 press conference, Mayor Muriel Bowser said the D.C. Health Department was working with federal partners in ensuring that the vaccine was being distributed as quickly as possible.
The District has the highest number of monkeypox cases in the country per capita compared to all states. According to CDC data last updated on July 22, there are 110 monkeypox cases in D.C.; making up about 6% of the monkeypox cases across the United States, averaging about eight new cases per day.
The nation's capital currently has enough monkeypox vaccines so that 70% of its eligible population can receive one dose.
Currently, the eligibility for the vaccination includes D.C. residents that are 18 years of age or older that fit one of the following descriptions:
- Gay, bisexual and other men 18 and older who have sex with men and have had multiple sexual partners or any anonymous sexual partners in the last 14 days
- Transgender women or nonbinary persons assigned male at birth who have sex with men
- Sex workers
- Staff at establishments where sexual activity occurs including bathhouses, saunas, sex clubs
Nationwide and locally, jurisdictions are struggling to meet the demand. Sean O'Donnell, the Public Health and Emergency Preparedness Manager for Montgomery County, said to WUSA9, "We know that the demand or the interest level in being vaccinated is already larger than the individuals who have been directly exposed."
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