Texas officials announced on Tuesday (August 30) that a patient diagnosed with monkeypox has died, making it possibly the first fatality from the virus. Health officials added that the patient was an adult with a severely compromised immune system.
Texas state health commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedt spoke to the public during the announcement, stating, "Monkeypox is a serious disease, particularly for those with weakened immune systems. We continue to urge people to seek treatment if they have been exposed to monkeypox or have symptoms consistent with the disease."
Across the world, eight countries have reported a total of 15 deaths from monkeypox this year. The countries include Cuba, Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana, India, Nigeria, Spain, and the Central African Republic. In the U.S., more than 18,000 cases have been reported, with every state reporting infections of the virus.
On Friday, Demetre Daskalakis, deputy head of the White House monkeypox response team, revealed that 94% of the confirmed cases were associated with sex and nearly all of the patients are gay men. In the U.S., the CDC also reported that approximately 30% of monkeypox patients are white, 32% are Hispanic and 33% are Black.
