Almost 90% Of US Mpox-Related Deaths Were in Black Men

Almost 90% of mpox-related deaths in the United States were among Black men, and nearly all had weakened immune systems, according to a new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

From May 2022 to March 2023, 30,235 people in the US were diagnosed with mpox, previously known as monkeypox. Thirty-eight deaths were linked to mpox; 36 of them were men, and 33 were Black men. {snip}

Mpox spreads through close contact, and it can infect anyone. during the 2022 outbreak, infections were mostly among gay or bisexual men or other men who have sex with men.

Most people hospitalized for severe cases of mpox were Black men with uncontrolled HIV that may have caused a weakened immune system, according to the report, which was published Thursday.

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A separate CDC report published Thursday urged equity-based strategies, such as tailored messages and expanded vaccine services, to increase vaccination among racial and ethnic minorities.

Early in last year’s outbreak, vaccination rates were lower among Black and Hispanic men than among White men, but by August, rates among Black and Hispanic men exceeded those among White men. {snip}

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