Human Monkeypox-Related Death In MD Confirmed

BALTIMORE, MD — A Maryland resident has died and human monkeypox was a contributing factor, state officials said Friday. The victim was immunocompromised, suffering a more severe case of the disease.

This is the first monkeypox death state officials have noted

“Human monkeypox is still circulating and can cause severe illness and death,” said Maryland Department of Health Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services Dr. Jinlene Chan, in a news release. “If you are eligible, such as being immunocompromised or at-risk, the best way to protect yourself against serious illness from MPX is by getting vaccinated.”

The agency will not release further information on the person who died to protect patient confidentiality.

Monkeypox is a rare, but serious, illness caused by infection with the monkeypox virus, which can infect humans and other animals. Most people who get monkeypox recover without any serious complications or the need for medical treatment, health officials said.

Anyone with a condition that weakens the immune system, such as advanced or untreated HIV, AIDS, certain cancers, an organ transplant, or another immune deficiency disorder, may be more likely to have serious complications or need treatment. Getting vaccinated can protect against getting monkeypox or can reduce the severity of illness if you do get the disease.

The Maryland Department of Health encourages all Maryland residents to follow the recommended prevention steps and to get vaccinated if exposed to the virus or are at higher risk of being exposed.

Monkeypox vaccine is free and available throughout the state. People can register for an appointment using the Maryland Statewide Human Monkeypox Vaccination Pre-Registration System.

Anyone who has symptoms of the disease should contact their health care provider. People without a provider or insurance should contact their local health department.

Additional information is available on MDH’s website: health.maryland.gov/monkeypox.

How To Get Monkeypox Vaccine In MD

Eligibility for the human monkeypox vaccine expanded last month, allowing vaccine administration to anyone at high risk of infection to be vaccinated, state health officials said.

The vaccine was previously recommended only for people who had been potentially exposed to monkeypox in the prior two weeks.

The expanded criteria for monkeypox vaccination includes anyone in Maryland who meets any of these criteria:

• Anyone of any sexual orientation or gender identity who has had multiple or unknown sexual partners in the past two weeks, including those considered higher risk: gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, and immunocompromised individuals; or
• Anyone of any sexual orientation or gender identity who are aware that one or more of their sexual partners from the past two weeks has been exposed to monkeypox.

Visit health.maryland.gov/monkeypox to pre-register for a vaccine appointment. Pre-registration is for the first monkeypox vaccine dose only. The recommended second dose will be coordinated for each person by the first dose provider or local health department.

Officials said residents who have already pre-registered for a shot, and now meets the expanded eligibility criteria, will be contacted.

The Maryland Statewide Human Monkeypox Vaccination Pre-Registration System launched Sept. 1. The system is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People who register through the system and are determined to be eligible for the vaccine will receive an email invitation to make an appointment through their local health department.

As of Oct. 21, Maryland has received 23,299 vials of JYNNEOS vaccine from the federal government.

The vaccination pre-registration system is intended for Maryland residents who meet one of the following criteria:

• Self-identified close contact of a person with monkeypox
• Impacted community member with potential monkeypox exposures in the prior two weeks

A human monkeypox data dashboard shows demographics on human monkeypox case counts and vaccination numbers in Maryland.

Maryland’s first monkeypox case was announced on June 16, according to Gov. Larry Hogan's office. While anyone can get and spread monkeypox, the vast majority of cases have been reported among men who have sex with men.

As of Friday these jurisdictions had the most monkeypox cases:

• Prince George's County: 224
• Baltimore City: 229
• Montgomery County: 84
• Baltimore County: 62
• Anne Arundel County: 38

The dashboard shows 700 cases of the disease in the state to date.

A total of 7,661 people in Maryland have been vaccinated for monkeypox to date.

In addition, health officials in Baltimore City and Montgomery, Prince George’s and Baltimore Counties are following CDC guidelines to make vaccines available to the following categories of individuals based on supply. Other health departments will do so as supply allows:

• Self-Identified Partners of Cases: Individuals who are aware that one of their sexual partners from the past two weeks has been diagnosed with monkeypox.
• Affected Community Members: Those in high-risk populations who report any of the following in the past two weeks:
  • Recent group sex or sex with multiple partners.
  • Sex or employment at a venue or in association with an event, venue, or defined geographic area where monkeypox transmission has been reported.

The World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency, and governments are asking for more vaccines to prevent the rare but serious illness predominantly caused by prolonged intimate physical contact.

Monkeypox has been reported in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The monkeypox virus has rarely been reported outside of Central and West Africa, where host animals include a range of rodents and monkeys. It can be easily spread from animals to humans through a bite or scratch, according to the WHO. The last time the United States saw a sizable outbreak was in 2003, when 70 cases were linked to the import of infected prairie dogs.

• Related: What Is Monkeypox?

The Associated Press contributed reporting.