US reports over 17,000 monkeypox cases; New York, California top list

The US has confirmed over 17,000 monkeypox cases, according to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A total of 17,432 known monkeypox cases had been reported nationwide as of Friday, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the CDC data.

New York had the most cases, with 3,124, followed by California with 3,291 and Florida with 1,739, according to CDC data.

So far, the US has the world's highest tally of monkeypox cases.

Although monkeypox cases are still increasing nationally, the speed of the outbreak appears to be slowing, said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.

US officials said additional monkeypox vaccines could be made available to the public as soon as September, according to a report of CBS News.

The Biden administration has been facing criticism in its response to the monkeypox outbreak, including failure to order enough vaccines, speed treatments and make tests available to head off the outbreak.

"We should have been able to contain monkeypox -- it was detected early and already had tests, a safe vaccine and an effective treatment. But a chronically underfunded public health system, often lacking even basic supplies like testing swabs and syringes and depleted by two-plus years of the Covid-19 pandemic, failed this most basic test," said a report of The Hill.

--IANS

int/shs