Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Neurological Complications Reported In 2 US Monkeypox Cases
Bloomberg: Monkeypox Virus: Brain Inflammation Seen In Two US Cases, CDC Says
US health officials cautioned Tuesday that monkeypox led to neurological complications in two otherwise healthy men in their 30s. (Muller, 9/13)
CIDRAP: Two US Cases Of Monkeypox-Related Brain Inflammation Raise Concern
Two US monkeypox patients developed encephalomyelitis—inflammation of the brain and spinal cord—in the week after symptom onset, one in Colorado and one in Washington, DC, suggesting neurologic complications are a potential outcome of monkeypox infections. The cases are described today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The United States is home to the largest monkeypox outbreak in the world, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today reporting 91 more monkeypox cases, raising the national total to 21,985. (Soucheray, 9/13)
And a health care worker has been infected at work —
Los Angeles Times: L.A. County Reports Nation's First MPX Case In Exposed Healthcare Worker
“We have identified a healthcare worker with monkeypox who appears to have been exposed to the virus at their worksite,” Dr. Rita Singhal, chief medical officer for the L.A. County Department of Public Health, said in a presentation to the Board of Supervisors. “This is the first case of monkeypox in a healthcare worker in the United States that has been linked to a worksite exposure.” (Toohey, 9/13)
More on the spread of monkeypox —
KHN: Southern States’ Lackluster Monkeypox Efforts Leave LGBTQ+ Groups Going It Alone
Dan DeChellis started looking for a monkeypox vaccine around July Fourth but was unable to find a place that offered one in Orlando, Florida, where he lives. After about a week of searching online, he and three friends made an appointment in Wilton Manors, a city about 3½ hours south by car. DeChellis, who is gay, said he doesn’t understand why the vaccine wasn’t available closer to home or why getting answers about who was eligible from his local health department was so difficult. (Chang and DeGuzman, 9/14)
Bloomberg: Monkeypox On Campus: Reports Raise Concerns About Fall Semester Spread
When Pennsylvania State University junior Nick Ribaudo got an email last month saying that a fellow student had tested positive for monkeypox, his first thought was, “Oh boy, here we go again.” Several US colleges have confirmed cases of the virus, raising concerns as students return to campus for the fall semester. That’s especially so as many students, like 22-year-old Ribaudo, saw earlier school years cut short or moved online due to Covid-19. (Taylor, 9/12)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: DPH Reports Decrease In New Monkeypox Cases
The rate of new monkeypox cases in the state has been on a consistent decline over the last few weeks, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. State health officials are “cautiously optimistic” that with the drop in new cases, the outbreak can be contained within a year with continued outreach aimed at heavily impacted populations. (Thomas, 9/14)
