First U.S. monkeypox death confirmed in California

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- California has confirmed the first death this year due to monkeypox in the United States.

The Los Angeles Department of Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed on Monday that a Los Angeles County resident died due to monkeypox infection.

The resident was "severely immunocompromised and had been hospitalized," according to a release of the Los Angeles Department of Public Health.

No further information on the individual such as age, gender or ethnicity was shared by the department, which cited a need to protect "confidentiality and privacy."

Persons severely immunocompromised who suspect they have monkeypox are encouraged to seek medical care and treatment early and remain under the care of a provider during their illness, said the department.

This is the first known death from monkeypox to be reported in the United States.

Nearly 22,000 monkeypox cases had been confirmed in the United States as of Monday, according to the latest CDC data. California has the most confirmed cases among U.S. states so far, with 4,300 cases.