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U.S. to End Monkeypox Emergency Declaration
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 2, 2022
Contact: HHS Press Office
202-690-6343
media"at"hhs.gov
Statement From HHS Secretary Becerra on mpox
Today, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra released the following statement on mpox:
From the outset of the mpox outbreak, the Administration pulled every lever to stop the spread of this virus. In August, the Department of Health and Human Services declared a Public Health Emergency that further strengthened and accelerated the response to produce results. Given the low number of cases today, HHS does not expect that it needs to renew the emergency declaration when it ends on January 31, 2023. But we won't take our foot off the gas - we will continue to monitor the case trends closely and encourage all at-risk individuals to get a free vaccine. As we move into the next phase of this effort, the Biden-Harris Administration continues working closely with jurisdictions and partners to monitor trends, especially in communities that have been disproportionately affected.
Dec. 5, 2022 - Federal officials plan to let the monkeypox emergency declaration expire at the end of January as cases continue to decrease.
"But we won't take our foot off the gas - we will continue to monitor the case trends closely and encourage all at-risk individuals to get a free vaccine," U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement.
The emergency declaration - which allows funding and resources to be directed toward the health crisis - was first declared in August and renewed in November.
The U.S. has recorded nearly 30,000 cases and 19 deaths this year due to monkeypox as part of a worldwide outbreak that infected more than 80,000 people. U.S. monkeypox cases peaked at more than 400 per day during the summer, but are now at less than 10 per day, according to a CDC tracker.
The CDC recommends vaccines for people who are at risk. More than 1.1 million doses of the two-dose vaccine have been given in the U.S. The CDC advises using this website to find local monkeypox vaccine providers..
Monkeypox is mostly seen in men who have sex with men. The hallmark symptom of the virus is a rash, but other flu-like symptoms are also possible, the CDC says. Symptoms begin within 3 weeks of exposure and typically last 2 to 4 weeks..
The news comes after the World Health Organization recommended a new name for monkeypox, suggesting it be called "mpox" in an effort to destigmatize the virus.
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