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Texas reports what may be the first American death from monkeypox

Monkey smallpox virus, illustration.

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Texas health officials said on Tuesday that a person diagnosed with monkeypox has died in what may be the first known death nationally from the virus.

The patient is an adult with a severely compromised immune system who lives in the Houston area, health officials said. The case is being investigated to determine the role of monkeypox in the individual’s death, officials said.

Monkeypox is not usually life-threatening, but people with compromised immune systems are at higher risk of severe illness. Patients often develop lesions that often look like boils or blisters and cause severe pain.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, eight countries have reported 15 deaths from monkeypox since the global outbreak. Previous deaths have been reported in Cuba, Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana, India, Nigeria, Spain and the Central African Republic.

The United States is currently battling the largest outbreak of monkeypox in the world. According to CDC data, more than 18,000 cases have occurred across the country, with infections now confirmed in every state as well as Puerto Rico and Washington, DC.

Nearly 49,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported across 99 countries, according to figures.

According to the CDC, the virus is primarily spread through sexual contact between gay and bisexual men. Demetre Daskalakis, deputy chief of the White House monkeypox response team, told reporters Friday that about 94% of confirmed cases are related to sex and nearly all patients are men who have sex with men.

The outbreak in the US is disproportionately affecting Black and Hispanic men. About 30% of monkeypox patients are white, 32% are Hispanic and 33% are black, according to CDC data. Whites make up about 59% of the US population while Hispanics and blacks make up 19% and 13%, respectively.

This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.

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