The CDC is reporting an uptick in mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, cases across the United States. So far this year, they’ve reported almost 600 positive cases of mpox, which is nearly double the amount of cases reported in 2023.
Dr. Wes Stubblefield with the Alabama Department of Public Health said mpox is a virus that can cause a severe rash or lesions that spread to different parts of the body. While anyone can get mpox, men who have sexual intercourse with men are particularly at risk.
It can be quite painful although it’s very uncommon for it to be deadly,” Stubblefield said. “It’s spread by intimate contact between individuals, generally skin-to-skin contact.
“It has been seen in the United States over the last few years although we are seeing a little bit of a rise in cases nationally, recently we have not seen that same thing in Alabama.”
The outbreak is mainly located in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, but that doesn’t mean everyone else is out of the woods.
As for Alabama, Stubblefield said there have only been two reported cases of mpox in our state this year. Throughout the entirety of last year, there were two reported cases in the state.
Even though the outbreak hasn’t made its way to Alabama, Stubblefield said it’s important to go ahead and protect yourself, especially because vaccination rates are low among the at-risk population.