For the first time, monkeypox has been reported in a minor in New York state

The child lives in New York, but not New York City, according to data released last week by the state Department of Health. The data does not list the sex of the child, city of residence nor how the minor became infected.

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New York Health Department spokeswoman Monica Pomeroy said she was not able to disclose the minor’s age.

“In cases where the number of cases is small, patient confidentiality prevents the department from disclosing this information,” Pomeroy said.

Previously, there were at least two other cases of monkeypox in the US, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

One case involved a child from California, and the other involved an infant who is not a US resident.

The CDC said the two cases are unrelated and probably the result of domestic transmission. Public health officials are investigating how the children got infected.

Since the outbreak of monkeypox began in May, most cases have occurred in men who have had sex with men. But anyone can catch the virus through close skin-to-skin contact.

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In the case of children, the CDC said, this may include “holding, hugging, feeding, as well as through shared objects such as towels, bedding, cups and utensils.”

The CDC said the Genios vaccine is being made available to children through a special extended use protocol.

The agency also developed new guidance for health care providers about the detection, treatment and prevention of monkeypox in children and adolescents.

CNN Health’s Brenda Goodman and Deidre McPhillips contributed to this report.

(This story has not been edited by seemayo staff and is published from a rss feed)