Texas health officials confirmed Tuesday the death of a person diagnosed with monkey poxwhich, if confirmed as the cause, would be the first known death from the virus in the US.
Driving the news: The person was a Harris County resident who was “severely immunocompromised.” An investigation is underway to determine “what role monkeypox played” in his death, the state Department of State Health Services said in a statement. Press release.
- The agency confirmed that the person was an adult, but did not reveal any further details.
- It is the first death of a person diagnosed with the virus in Texas, the news release added.
What they are saying: “Monkeypox is a serious disease, particularly for people with weakened immune systems,” DSHS Commissioner John Hellerstedt said in the news release.
- “We continue to urge people to seek treatment if they have been exposed to monkeypox or have symptoms consistent with the disease,” he added.
The panorama: The Biden administration declared the monkeypox outbreak to be public health emergency earlier this month.
- Last month, Spain and Brazil reported the first monkeypox-related deaths outside of Africa during the current outbreak.
- The United States has been dealing with a limited resources of the monkeypox vaccine. To that end, the Biden administration struck a $11 million deal on Monday to support domestic packaging of the vaccine and bolster supplies.
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