THE EPOCH TIMES – Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urged doctors to monitor the spread of mpox, a deadly virus causing outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Now, the CDC has released a new report showing that mpox also spread through non-sexual interactions in parts of Washington D.C. and Tennessee in the spring of 2022.
Uncertain Factors Behind Outbreak
Mpox is caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus. Two distinct clades (variants) exist: clade 1 and 2. Both spread through close contact, with higher risk for those having multiple partners.
Transmission requires contact with infectious rashes, fluids, or shared items like clothing or bedding. Intimate activities also transmit mpox through skin/mouth contact or respiratory droplets.
Additionally, mpox can spread through the bites, scratches, prepared meat, or carcasses of infected animals. The CDC reports monkeys, rodents, and other mammals may carry monkeypox. Reptile and bird susceptibility is uncertain, though home pets might also be possible carriers.
In the 2022-2023 U.S. outbreak, over 31,000 cases and 55 deaths were reported, per the CDC.
Drivers behind the swelling international outbreak, affecting all genders and ages, remain unknown, according to the WHO …
