Los Angeles County Investigates Death of Person With Monkeypox

Los Angeles County officers mentioned this week that they have been investigating the dying of an individual who had been recognized with monkeypox to see if the sickness was a contributing reason behind dying.

It’s the second identified dying of an individual recognized with the illness in the US, which has reported extra circumstances of the viral sickness this 12 months than wherever on the planet. Well being officers are investigating what, if any, position monkeypox performed within the two deaths.

Dr. Rita Singhal, chief medical officer for the Los Angeles County Division of Public Well being, mentioned at a information convention on Thursday that an post-mortem was being performed on the one that died within the county and that it may take days or even weeks to get the outcomes. Dr. Singhal didn’t say whether or not the one that died had any underlying medical circumstances, as was the case within the earlier fatality, in Texas.

“We’re early within the investigation and shouldn’t have extra particulars obtainable presently,” Dr. Singhal mentioned. “As quickly as particulars turn out to be obtainable, we’ll share them whereas sustaining confidentiality and privateness.”

As a part of the investigation, Dr. Singhal mentioned, county officers will work with the state of California and the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention to see if tips for methods to deal with folks with monkeypox, particularly those that turn out to be severely in poor health, have to be up to date.

There have been greater than 56,600 confirmed circumstances of monkeypox in additional than 100 international locations, together with greater than 21,500 confirmed circumstances in the US, in keeping with the C.D.C.

The primary reported dying of somebody in the US who had been recognized with monkeypox was in Texas final month. The Division of State Well being Companies there introduced on Aug. 30 that an grownup in Harris County who was “severely immunocompromised” and recognized with monkeypox had died.

“The case is beneath investigation to find out what position monkeypox performed within the dying,” the division mentioned in an announcement.

As of Sept. 4, the deaths of 18 individuals who had been recognized with monkeypox had been reported to the World Well being Group. The variety of weekly new circumstances globally decreased by 25.5 p.c within the week ending on Sept. 4, in contrast with the week earlier than, the W.H.O. mentioned. The outbreak continues to primarily have an effect on males who’ve intercourse with males who’ve a median age of 36 years, the W.H.O. mentioned.

The unfold of monkeypox seems to be declining in main U.S. cities, together with New York Metropolis, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago, well being officers say.

Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the C.D.C. director, cautioned two weeks in the past that the lower was not even throughout the nation.

“Week over week, our numbers are nonetheless rising,” she mentioned in a White Home information convention. “The speed of rise is decrease. However we’re nonetheless seeing will increase. And we’re after all a really numerous nation, and issues aren’t even throughout the nation.”