PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — New Jersey announced its first monkeypox-related death on Monday.
According to the New Jersey Health Department, a northern New Jersey resident died last month after contracting the disease in September. The patient’s monkeypox infection and underlying medical issues were the contributing factors to their death.
Health officials note that while monkeypox cases have been declining in recent weeks in the Garden State, the disease is still circulating and, in some cases, can cause severe illness or death.
Free vaccines are available. The two-dose shot can help prevent monkeypox or reduce the severity of the disease.
There have been about 750 confirmed cases in New Jersey, compared to nearly 29,000 cases across the nation.
More information is available at nj.gov/health/monkeypox.