The United States is releasing monkeypox vaccine from its stockpile

To safeguard high-risk populations, the US has started releasing monkeypox vaccination from the Strategic National Stockpile.

Smallpox and monkeypox are both prevented by the two-dose vaccine.

"I can report that there has been a request for release of the Jynneos vaccine from the National Stockpile for some of the high-risk contacts of some of the early patients," Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of the CDC's Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Center's Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, said during a news briefing.

According to Reuters, the Jynneos vaccine was approved in the United States in 2019 and is intended for use in high-risk adults. According to McQuiston, the United States maintains a "decent stock" of doses because it has planned for the potential of needing the smallpox vaccination.

"We have about 1,000 dosages available right now," McQuiston added. "We expect that number to rapidly rise in the following weeks as the corporation supplies us with more dosages."

ACAM2000 is a smallpox vaccination that has been approved in the United States. It could also be used to prevent monkeypox, and the United States has over 100 million pills.

"ACAM2000 is an older-generation smallpox vaccination with some severe possible negative effects," McQuiston explained. "A choice to employ that widely would therefore require some serious consideration."

According to CNN, government health officials plan to employ a few vaccines among current patients' close contacts to prevent the virus from spreading.

"We want to make sure that everyone who could benefit from the vaccine gets it," McQuiston added. "Those are those who have had intimate personal contact with known monkeypox patients, health care personnel, and those in particular who may be at high risk for severe disease."

The first confirmed monkeypox case in the United States, according to the CDC, is a man from Massachusetts who just travelled to Canada.

According to ABC News, there are at least six suspected instances across the country, with one in New York, two in Florida, two in Utah, and one in Washington. They tested positive for the orthopoxvirus, which is related to monkeypox.

According to local news station KTXL, one suspected case of monkeypox was under investigation in Sacramento County, CA as of Tuesday afternoon. A person who had lately been to Europe was found to have the suspicious condition.

Given the present outbreak, doctors should assume orthopox cases are monkeypox, according to McQuiston. The CDC expects to collect and examine samples from suspected cases this week.

"There will almost certainly be more cases reported in the United States," she said.

According to The Associated Press, Seattle health officials stated on Monday that a "presumptive" case of monkeypox is being investigated in an adult male who travelled internationally in the previous month to a country with reported instances.

According to the Associated Press, preliminary testing was completed Monday at a state laboratory. The case will be confirmed by federal health officials.

The individual was not hospitalised and is isolated at home, according to Seattle health officials, who added that there is no high risk to the public.

The CDC also issued a travel notice on Monday, advising people to "take extra measures" as monkeypox spreads across many countries. More than 16 nations have now confirmed cases.

"The danger to the general public is low," the CDC warned, "but if you get new, unsolved skin rash (lesions on any area of the body) with or without fever and anxieties, you should seek medical attention right once."

According to Reuters, the World Health Organization revealed Tuesday that 131 confirmed cases and 106 more suspected cases have been recorded outside of Africa since the first case was reported on May 7.

Although the multi-country outbreak is unprecedented, WHO authorities say it is "containable" and circumscribed. This week and next week, international health officials will convene to discuss how to address the problem.