U.S. Monkeypox Cases Surpass 10,000, Most of Any Country | Health News

Monkeypox cases in the U.S. have topped 10,000, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It’s more reported infections than any other country. States reporting the most cases include New York, Florida, Georgia, Texas and California. The only state that hasn’t reported any cases is Wyoming.

Monkeypox infections in the U.S. have grown quickly since the first case was documented in mid-May, leading the Biden administration to declare it a public health emergency last week.

In the face of limited monkeypox vaccine supply, the Food and Drug Administration earlier this week issued an emergency use authorization to allow a smaller dose of the monkeypox vaccine, called Jynneos, to be injected between the layers of skin instead of a full dose into underlying fat. The agency said the move will increase the total number of doses available for use by up to fivefold.

The agency cited a 2015 study that showed the alternative method produced a similar immune response to the typical method, though it “resulted in more redness, firmness, itchiness and swelling at the injection site, but less pain, and these side effects were manageable.”

But the company that makes the vaccine has raised concerns over the FDA’s decision.

Paul Chaplin, the CEO of Jynneos manufacturer Bavarian Nordic, wrote to the heads of the Department of Health and Human Services and the FDA this week saying he has “reservations” over the new strategy.

Chaplin said his concerns were due to the “very limited safety data available,” adding that it would have been “prudent” to conduct further studies of the method.