NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- One more person has tested positive for monkeypox in New York City, bringing the total number of cases to five, city officials said Thursday.
“An additional person has tested positive for orthopoxvirus in NYC, which is presumed to be monkeypox,” the city's health department tweeted. “To date, five cases have been identified. Monkeypox is rare in New York City but we can prevent the spread.”
There are now 21 confirmed cases nationwide nearly doubling in a week, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's monkeypox case tracker.
Monkeypox, while relatively rare, has been spreading across the world in the last few weeks and has now exceeded 500 cases, according to the World Health Organization.
"We don't really know whether it's too late to contain," Dr. Rosamund Lewis, the WHO’s monkeypox technical lead, said during a news conference in Geneva on Wednesday. "What WHO and all member states are trying to do is prevent onward spread."
Monkeypox is characterized by flu-like symptoms, pustules, swollen lymph nodes and rashes. It can be fatal for up to one in 10 patients and is more severe in children.
Globally, WHO has now identified monkeypox infections in over 10 countries.
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