Topline:
Monkeypox cases are dropping significantly, but on Thursday health officials reported a second death of a Los Angeles County resident due to the disease. No details of the deceased person were released.
The backstory: . The first death was reported in September, when L.A. was averaging 20 new cases per day. Since then, there has been a substantial drop, to just 3 cases per day. Nationally, 12 people have died since the outbreak began.
The latest info: New monkeypox cases have been steadily dropping, but concern remains about the possibility for severe illness or death especially for immunocompromised people. More than 29,000 people have contracted monkeypox since the outbreak started earlier this year. Cases peaked in August at a weekly average of 630 cases reported per day. The most recent data from early November shows it’s now down to 14 cases per day.
Is there a vaccine? Yes. Early in the outbreak the supply of Jynneos doses was extremely limited. As more doses have been manufactured, L.A. County health officials gradually opened up vaccine eligibility. Health officials say about half of at-risk people in the county have received at least one dose of the two dose vaccine.
