An adult Harris County resident who was diagnosed with monkeypox has died, health officials said Tuesday. The person was “severely immunocompromised,” according to Texas Health and Human Services.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told CBS News that the Texas death is the first linked to the virus that the agency is aware of in the U.S.
State health officials cautioned that while the person had monkeypox, it was still being investigated exactly what role the disease played in the death.
“This is the first death in [a]n presumed positive for monkeypox that we are aware of. However, the individual had various severe illnesses and until the investigation is complete, it is premature to assign a specific cause of death,” CDC spokesperson Scott Pauley said.
Officials said an autopsy was being performed and expected the results to be ready in a few weeks.
The death comes as monkeypox cases continue to rise, with 18,101 cases reported in the country, according to the CDC. Texas has the fourth-highest total of infections in the country, with 1,604 cases.
However, deaths associated with monkeypox are still considered extremely rare. There have only been 15 deaths reported worldwide related to the disease, according to the CDC.
State health officials are urging everyone to contact their health care provider if they have a fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, or a new, unexplained rash. People diagnosed with monkeypox should stay home and avoid close contact with others until the rash has fully resolved, the scabs have fallen off, and a fresh layer of intact skin has formed.
“Monkeypox is a serious disease, particularly for those with weakened immune systems,” said Dr. John Hellerstedt, Department of State Health Services Commissioner. “We continue to urge people to seek treatment if they have been exposed to monkeypox or have symptoms consistent with the disease.”
Monkeypox is a preventable disease that spreads through close contact with an infected person.
Here are a few things officials say people should do to help prevent the spread:
- Avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with someone with a new, unexplained rash.
- Avoid close, skin-to-skin contact in large crowds where people wear minimal clothing, such as in nightclubs, festivals, raves, saunas, and bathhouses.
- Do not share cups, utensils, bedding, or towels with someone sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
Dallas County has recently expanded access to monkeypox vaccines, specifically for “Men (cisgender and transgender) and transgender women who have sex with men,” as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
