On Oct. 21, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced two deaths of Chicago residents caused by this year's monkeypox virus (MPV) outbreak.
According to a CDPH press release, both individuals had multiple other health conditions, including weakened immune systems, and received a MPV diagnosis more than six weeks ago, and both had been hospitalized.
The deaths of the two adults are unrelated to each other. No further information is being released about the two individuals out of privacy concerns.
"Our hearts go out to these individuals' families and friends," said CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady, M.D. "Though the number of new MPV cases has declined substantially since summer, this is a stark reminder that MPV is dangerous and can cause serious illness and, in very rare cases, even death."
Death from MPV remains extremely rare. Among more than 75,000 cases reported globally in the 2022 outbreak, there have been 32 reported deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
CDPH encourages individuals who meet the eligibility criteria to get two doses of the MPV vaccine 28 days apart. And even after getting vaccinated, CDPH recommends still taking precautions, especially if people are at high risk for severe illness from monkeypox. MPV spreads through close, intimate contact.
For more information, visit www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/monkeypox/home.html .