California Child Diagnosed With Monkeypox; Among 2 In US

CALIFORNIA — A toddler in California is one of two American children who have been diagnosed with monkeypox in the U.S., health officials said Friday.

As of Thursday, 434 cases of Monkeypox had been suspected or confirmed in California, including 159 in San Francisco and 121 in Los Angeles. It wasn't immediately clear where the California child lived.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the other child was an infant who is not a U.S. resident and was traveling through the Washington, D.C. area.

The children were said to be in good health and receiving treatment. Both cases likely stemmed from "household transmission," the CDC said. They "had no contact with each other."

"We became aware of these cases just this week, and we've been working with the jurisdictions to understand more about these cases," Jennifer McQuiston of the CDC told reporters Friday.

The CDC has warned that children are at an "especially increased risk" for severe monkeypox disease, especially under age 8.

Monkeypox is endemic in parts of Africa. More than 15,000 cases have been reported in countries that don't historically see cases, including the U.S. and Europe. The vast majority of infections have happened in men who have sex with men. Health officials have stressed that anyone can catch the virus.

The latest virus outbreak has mainly spread among men who have sex with men.

“I don’t think its surprising that we are occasionally going to see cases” outside that social network, McQuiston told reporters.

The virus can spread through close personal contact and via towels and bedding, meaning it can happen in homes.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.