The spread of monkeypox in the U.S. could represent the dawn of a new sexually transmitted disease, though some health officials say the virus that causes pimple-like bumps might yet be contained before it gets firmly established.
Experts don't agree on the likely path of the disease, with some fearing that it is becoming so widespread that it is on the verge of becoming an entrenched STD – like gonorrhea, herpes and HIV.
They also don't know how well vaccines and treatments are working. One impediment: federal health officials do not have the authority to collect and connect data on who has been infected and who has been vaccinated. It spreads mainly through skin-to-skin contact, but it can also be transmitted through linens used by someone with monkeypox. Although it's been moving through the population like a sexually transmitted disease, officials have been watching for other types of spread that could expand the outbreak. There have been several cases like that: Officials on Friday said they were aware of two children with monkeypox in the U.S., and at least eight women.
When the outbreak was first identified in May, U.S. officials had only about 2,000 doses available. The government distributed them but Limited the shots to people who were identified through public health investigations as being recently exposed to the virus. Testing has also expanded. More than 70,000 people can be tested each week, far more than current demand, Walensky said. The government has also embarked on a campaign to educate doctors and gay and bisexual men about the disease, she added.
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