Monkeypox Biden: “Everyone” needs to worry about spreading

Biden said Recent spread of monkeypox infection — Identified by the World Health Organization in at least 12 countries that are not relatively rare illnesses Endemic — If it continues, it may be “resulting”.

“We haven’t told you the level of exposure yet, but that’s something everyone should worry about,” Biden said. “If it spreads, I’m concerned that it will result.”

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States has vaccines available to treat the potential for monkeypox, and Biden has been briefed on the trajectory of domestic and international incidents. rice field. “He is informed of this very regularly,” Sullivan briefed a journalist at Air Force One on Sunday after leaving South Korea.

Scientists are rushing to find out what is causing the infection and how to respond. WHO received Report Of the 92 cases identified in the lab, 28 are suspicious under investigation in nine countries: the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe. Two countries not on the WHO list — Israel When Switzerland — Reported the first confirmed case on Saturday.

Studies suggest that smallpox vaccines are at least 85% effective against monkeypox, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the United States has approved two vaccines to prevent smallpox. One is licensed exclusively for monkeypox.

What is monkeypox, a rare virus currently found in the United States and Europe?

The unexplained epidemic of infectious viruses has sounded a warning in the scientific community, coronavirus Pandemic — But some experts note that the two are different. Monkeypox is difficult to spread among humans and there are vaccine options that have been shown to be effective against the disease.

“This isn’t a new virus for us. Ashish Jha, the White House’s coronavirus coordinator, knew about the virus for decades on ABC News this week.

“This is the virus we understand. We have a vaccine against it. We have a cure for it … it’s not as contagious as covid. So we have arms. I’m sure I can keep it around. “

At this point, the general risk of monkeypox to the general public is considered “very, very low.” Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Health and Safety Center, said: I told the Washington Post earlier..

One monkeypox infection confirmed by health authorities in Massachusetts and New York City Said Two patients were examined on Friday as part of an investigation into suspected monkeypox cases in the state. One patient was positive for the orthopox virus, a family of viruses to which monkeypox belongs, and “had a disease consistent with monkeypox,” state officials said.

Jha said he wouldn’t be surprised to see more cases in the next few days.

The CDC directs doctors to be vigilant for monkeypox as global cases increase

On Wednesday, Bavarian Nordic, a Copenhagen-based company that developed a smallpox vaccine approved for use against monkeypox in the United States, said the U.S. government had agreed with the company to “freeze-dried version of the vaccine. ® Smallpox vaccine that stated that it exercised the option of “supplying JYNNEOS.” Therefore, the first dose of this version can be manufactured and claimed in 2023 and 2024. “

Ordering a new dose of a long-lived vaccine is worth $ 119 million, says Bavarian Nordic. news release.. Under the agreement with the company, the US Department of Advanced Research and Development in Biomedical Sciences will be able to exercise $ 180 million worth of options for approximately 13 million lyophilized doses of smallpox vaccine in the future.

Health and welfare service spokesperson Told Axios The purchase was not a direct response to the infection, but said the dose could be used to treat monkeypox.

Apart from this, Bavarian Scandinavian Said “We have signed a contract with a private European country to supply the IMVANEX® smallpox vaccine in response to a new case of monkeypox that occurred in May 2022.” ImvanexThe Jynneos vaccine is known in Europe and is therefore only approved for the treatment of smallpox, but “UnofficialIn the previous monkeypox case. “

At least two European countries have moved to stockpile vaccines with possible efforts to stay ahead of their spread.British Secretary of State Sajid Javid Confirmed On Friday, the United Kingdom, which states that WHO reported 21 to 30 monkeypox infections, “provided additional doses of vaccines effective against monkeypox.”

Meanwhile, Spain is preparing the Spanish newspaper El Pais to purchase thousands of additional Imvanex vaccines. report..Spain is also moving to buy more antiviral drugs called monkeypox. TecovirimatAccording to the newspaper.

Kim reported from Tokyo. Meryl Kornfield, Hannah Knowles, Timothy Bella, Lindsey Bever and Carolyn Y. Johnson contributed to this report.