Texas records first US death from monkeypox

How do you catch monkeypox? Until this worldwide outbreak, monkeypox was usually spread by infected rodents — including rats, mice and even squirrels — in west and central Africa. But when a case is suspected doctors send samples to their local health authorities to be tested for orthopox viruses — the family of viruses that includes monkeypox and smallpox. The jab, estimated to cost $24.16 per dose, contains a modified live vaccinia virus, which is similar to both smallpox and monkeypox, but does not cause disease in people. This includes the drug tecovirimat — also known as TPOXX —, which was approved for use against monkeypox in the U.S. in August.