Texas has confirmed the first death of a person with monkeypox in the United States.
The Texas Department of State Health Services said Tuesday that the individual was an adult resident of Harris County, Texas who was "severely immunocompromised" and that they were investigating what role monkeypox had in the person's death.
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"Monkeypox is a serious disease, particularly for those with weakened immune systems," said Commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedt. "We continue to urge people to seek treatment if they have been exposed to monkeypox or have symptoms consistent with the disease."
The CDC has previously not reported any monkeypox deaths in the U.S. in its database.
Monkeypox is rarely a life-threatening disease but can cause painful symptoms, the health department stated. Symptoms of monkeypox generally involve a rash of some type that may scab before healing or look like blisters that are painful or itchy, fever, and chills.
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As of last Thursday, over 46,000 cases of monkeypox have been identified globally in 98 countries, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters. In the U.S., over 17,000 cases have been confirmed across all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.
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Tags: Monkeypox, News, Texas
Original Author: Abigail Adcox
Original Location: Texas reports first monkeypox death in the US