Nearly 90% of mpox-related deaths in the United States were among black men and almost all had weakened immune systems, reports the CDC

CNN
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Nearly 90% of mpox-related deaths in the United States were among black men, and almost all of them had weakened immune systems, according to a new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

From May 2022 to March 2023, 30,235 people in the United States were diagnosed with mpox, formerly known as monkeypox. Thirty-eight deaths were related to mpox; 36 of them were men and 33 were black men. The average age of those who died was 34 years old.

Mpox is spread by close contact and can infect anyone. in the 2022 outbreak, infections were primarily in gay or bisexual men or other men who have sex with men.

Most of those hospitalized with severe cases of mpox were black men with uncontrolled HIV that may have weakened the immune system, according to the report released Thursday.

Although most of those who died received one or more prompt treatments and intensive care, almost a quarter had delays of three to seven weeks between diagnosis and treatment, and two received no treatment for the mpox.

“These findings underscore the importance of integrating prevention, screening and treatment for multiple sexually associated infections,” the report said. “Equitable access to prevention, treatment, engagement and retention in care for mpox and HIV should be a priority, especially among black men and others at risk of sexually associated infections. .”

A separate CDC report released Thursday called for equity-based strategies, such as personalized messaging and expanded immunization services, to increase immunization among racial and ethnic minorities.

At the start of last year’s outbreak, vaccination rates were lower among black and Hispanic men than among white men, but by August, rates among black and Hispanic men exceeded those among white men. However, the vaccination-to-case ratio was lower in black and Hispanic men, and vaccination rates were not commensurate with “high incidence rates” in black men, according to the report, leaving vaccination needs not satisfied.

Between May and December 2022, 723,112 people in the United States received the first of two doses of the mpox vaccine, and 89.7% of the doses were given to men.

“Continued implementation of equity-based immunization strategies is needed to further increase immunization rates and reduce the incidence of mpox among all racial and ethnic groups,” the report states.

More than 30,000 people were diagnosed with mpox in the United States on Wednesday and 42 people died, according to the CDC.