Fifth child tests positive for monkeypox in US

At least five children have tested positive for monkeypox in the U.S. since July.

Four of the children who have been confirmed to have the disease are U.S. citizens, with two in California and two in Indiana. The final case was an infant who was tested while traveling through Washington, D.C. but is not a U.S. resident, according to ABC 7.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that young children may be at an increased risk of more severe monkeypox cases should they be infected. The organization placed the cut-off age for severe risk at 8 years old, though it said pediatric data is “limited.”

California declared a state of emergency over monkeypox on Tuesday, making it the third to do so over the past week. Illinois and New York have also made the move.

NEW YORK CITY, ILLINOIS DECLARE STATE OF EMERGENCY OVER MONKEYPOX

MONKEYPOX BY THE NUMBERS: FACTS ABOUT THE RARE VIRUS THAT’S CURRENTLY SPREADING

The U.S. has so far seen roughly 3,000 cases across the country, and President Joe Biden created a White House monkeypox response team on Tuesday.

Robert Fenton, a regional administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency will serve as White House National Monkeypox Response Coordinator, and Dr. Demetre Daskalakis to serve as the deputy coordinator.

“Fenton and Deaskalakis will lead the administration’s strategy and operations to combat the current monkeypox outbreak, including equitably increasing the availability of tests, vaccinations and treatments,” the White House announced in a statement.

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The monkeypox virus is spread via close skin contact with an infected individual. The disease is most prevalent among men who have sex with other men, but health officials say there is also risk of transmission from sharing towels, bed sheets, or other similar items.