Monkeypox

It was a big year for viruses, which simply refused to be ignored. And unlike the previous two years, COVID had to share the spotlight.

Cases of Mpox, which was previously named monkeypox, peaked in August and fell steadily over the past months to a daily average of seven new cases by the end of November.

"Removing 'monkey' removes the stigma that monkeypox comes with," an expert tells NPR. But he questions why the World Health Organization will wait a year for the change to take full effect.

Early fears of an escalating outbreak have not come to pass. Scientists are finding that the virus needs a very particular set of circumstances to spread effectively.

Health officials say at-risk people who have received just one dose of the vaccine appear to be significantly less likely to get sick from the virus. Still, they urged a second dose for full protection.

On this episode of What's Health Go to Do With It? our panel of health experts discusses the latest on COVID-19, an update on monkeypox and tips for flu season.

We crunch the current numbers for high-risk and low-risk groups. We also look at how the risk of monkeypox compares with chances of catching COVID, of being in a fatal car crash and of a shark attack.

The person, whose last day on campus was Sept. 7, will remain home until cleared to return by a medical provider, according to Orange County Public Schools.

Some LGBTQ+ advocates say they are having to take matters into their own hands in the absence of a coordinated response from state governments.

U.S. monkeypox cases among white men have declined significantly in recent weeks, while Black people are making up a growing percentage of infections.