Today, the CDC continues to lean forward with an aggressive public health response to the monkeypox outbreak by activating its Emergency Operations Center (EOC). This action constitutes the CDC Command Center to monitor and coordinate the monkeypox emergency response and to mobilize additional CDC personnel and resources. Activation of the EOC by the CDC allows the agency to further increase operational support for the response to the evolving challenges of the outbreak. It is home to more than 300 CDC employees working in partnership with local, national and international response partners on public health challenges. Activation of the EOC will further complement the ongoing work of CDC staff to respond to this outbreak.
Globally, early data suggest that gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men account for a large number of cases of monkeypox. The CDC continues to provide guidance and awareness among front-line health care providers and public health. CDC is also raising public awareness of the current situation through its website and social media, as well as outreach to partners and the community.
In June, the CDC updated and expanded the definition of the monkeypox case and continues to encourage health care providers to consider testing for all suspected clinical cases of monkeypox. Healthcare professionals who see a patient with a rash that resembles monkeypox or may be more characteristic of more common infections (e.g., chickenpox, shingles, or syphilis) should evaluate carefully the patient for the smallpox of the monkey and should consider the test. Anyone who has risk factors for monkeypox and a new rash should seek attention and evidence.
Last week, the CDC began sending orthopoxvirus tests to five commercial lab companies, including the country’s largest reference labs, to quickly increase the capacity and access of monkeypox testing to each community. This development will facilitate increased testing, take advantage of the relationships established between clinics, hospitals, and commercial laboratories, and support our ability to better understand the scope of the current monkeypox outbreak.
Visit the CDC website, which is updated daily, for the latest information related to our response.
Source:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention