USA On High Alert: Prepares For Upcoming Arrival Of Severe Strains Of Mpox

This year, the clade 1 variant of mpox has been reported in about 25,000 cases in Africa.

The Terror Of Mpox

The United States is getting ready for the potential arrival of a more severe strain of mpox, which has spread throughout Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing over 600 people, according to senior Biden administration officials speaking on Friday.

According to the World Health Organization, at a separate briefing on Friday, there have been over 24,800 instances of this strain of the virus, known as clade 1, documented as of Thursday. In August, the WHO deemed the epidemic to be a worldwide health emergency.

In 2022, clade 2, a distinct strain of mpox, caused a worldwide pandemic and a spike in cases within the United States. According to the CDC, Clade 1 is more severe and can kill up to 10% of infected individuals; however, recent death rates have been between 1% and 3.3%.

Is US Government Ready For Upcoming Arrival of Severe Strains Of Mpox 

Senior administration officials stated on a call with reporters that the United States has been preparing for its own cases as infections have increased in Africa.

“We’ve been preparing for the arrival of clade 1 in the United States for many months now, especially as we saw the outbreak in DRC and neighboring countries accelerate,” one official said

According to officials, the government is reaching out to the medical community to inform members about what to watch out for, including the severity of clade 1 and how it spreads, and is increasing its mpox surveillance efforts, mainly through wastewater study.

The vaccination is still only advised by the CDC for those who are thought to be at high risk of contracting the virus, namely homosexual and bisexual men. According to the experts, the majority of people with health insurance may obtain the vaccine at large retail pharmacy chains like CVS and Walgreens. Additionally, community health centers and public health authorities are offering the vaccine for free. Officials stated that more vaccines are being kept in the national stockpile of the United States, but they would not disclose the exact number

“There is a sufficient amount of vaccine for the U.S. population,” an official added.

The United States is also collaborating with pharmaceutical businesses and government scientists to create new treatment options. As of right now, mpox has no recognized therapies. Though a recent clinical trial revealed that the medication is ineffective against clade 1, the Food and Drug Administration has approved TPOXX, an antiviral treatment, for smallpox, a disease closely linked to mpox.

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