"As of August 25, over 46,700 cases have been detected globally in 98 countries. In the United States, there have been nearly 17,000 cases of monkeypox identified across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told reporters at a virtual press briefing.
On August 18, the CDC had identified more than 13,500 cases of monkeypox, but now that number is at 16,926, according to data posted on the CDC's website.
Head of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Dawn O’Connell noted that this week the authorities have shipped up to 240,000 vaccine doses.
"Looking ahead, we anticipate another 150,000 vials of vaccine, which represents over 750,000 as early as late September," she said.
Monkeypox is a viral disease that is not easily transmitted and usually spreads through close physical contact, including sexual contact, with an infected individual. The virus can enter the human body through broken skin, respiratory tract, eyes, nose, mouth, and bodily fluids. It originates in animals like rodents and primates in remote parts of Central and West Africa.
World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Thursday that the weekly monkeypox incidence fell by over 20% globally last week despite an increase in cases in North and South America.