U.S. Tops the World in Known Monkeypox Cases

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on July 28, 2022, the United States had 4,906 confirmed cases of the monkeypox virus—the most known cases of the disease in the world to date. Spain comes in second, with 3,738 confirmed cases.

The state of New York currently leads the nation with 1,247 confirmed cases, followed by the state of California, with 799 confirmed cases.

“You just have to look at a map of the U.S. states. We are nearly covered with cases now,” said Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, senior director of Global Biorisk Advisory Council™ (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, during an interview with ISSA Media Director Jeff Cross. “Nearly every state now has at least one case.”

“What we’re really worried about,” he continued, “is the fact that this virus should not be here. We have to eliminate the Monkeypox virus. But more importantly, there is now a risk of this virus getting into…our rodent population and becoming endemic.”

That means the virus will remain in the United States, he said, “and we just won’t be able to get rid of it.”

According to Macgregor-Skinner, the infectious virus resides in the pustules that accompany the disease. Any contact with those blisters can spread the virus to others. Bodily fluids of all types have the potential to be infectious as well. The virus, he said, can survive outside of the body for days or even months.

These facts, he continued, emphasize the need for isolation, as well as having disinfection and cleaning strategies in place for controlling the virus on various environmental surfaces.

To better understand the current circumstances surrounding monkeypox and what can be done to stop its spread, check out the interview: