Gay members of Congress worried about mpox outbreak ask for data in letter to Joe Biden (exclusive)

Amid rising mpox, formerly called monkeypox, cases and a potentially impending threat from a more virulent strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo, U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, a New York Democrat, has called for detailed answers from President Joe Biden and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. In a letter on Thursday, Torres and Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan, stressed the urgency of a coordinated and strategic response to the mpox resurgence. Pocan is chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, and Torres is a co-chair.

“Given the resurgence of mpox and the potential threat posed by the Clade I variant, we urge the Administration to share the current strategy and actions being undertaken to address these challenges,” the letter states. Torres and Pocan sought comprehensive information on measures to prevent mpox resurgence in the United States, strategies developed since the 2022 outbreak, and efforts to enhance coordination among HHS agencies and other stakeholders.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported a worrisome rise in mpox cases in the U.S., with 1,168 cumulative cases as of June 8. The more deadly Clade I variant, endemic to the DRC, has caused 19,919 suspected cases and 975 deaths from January 2023 to April 2024. Experts believe the strain poses a significant threat if it spreads to the United States. However, no Clade I mpox cases have been diagnosed in the U.S.

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A CDC warning issued in May emphasized the need for vaccinations among high-risk populations, including men who have sex with men. “There are two main types of mpox: Clade I, the dominant type in Congo, and Clade II, a version of which caused the 2022 global outbreak,” the CDC wrote in a May 16 weekly Morbidity and Mortality Report.

The letter follows an April Government Accountability Office report that harshly criticized HHS’s response to the 2022 mpox outbreak. The report highlighted systemic flaws, including poor internal communication, inadequate inter-agency coordination, and insufficient outreach to vulnerable populations. The GAO called for a coordinated after-action program to address these recurring challenges.

In response to the GAO findings, Torres introduced the Coordinated Agency Response Enhancement (CARE) Act. The legislation aims to establish a unified after-action program within HHS to ensure that lessons from past emergencies are effectively integrated into future preparedness and response plans.

The CDC data reveals that the mpox outbreak has significantly impacted the Black (32 percent), Latino (31 percent), and White (29 percent) communities. The recent virus spread predominantly among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, as well as some transgender individuals, during social events coinciding with LGBTQ+ festivals, but anybody can contract and spread the infection.

The Jynneos smallpox vaccine, which is effective against mpox and was developed by Danish pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic, became commercially available in April. This significant step follows the conclusion of the mpox public health emergency in January 2023 and aims to ensure broad accessibility of the vaccine.

The CDC has been enhancing U.S. preparedness by raising awareness, strengthening surveillance, expanding diagnostic testing capacity for Clade I MPXV, and communicating guidance on recommended containment strategies. The CDC recommended that “U.S. clinicians and public health practitioners should be alert for possible cases in travelers from DRC and request clade-specific testing.”

“Mpox has a disproportionately destructive impact on the LGBTQ+ community, whose public health needs have long been ignored. We are deeply committed to ensuring that our nation’s public health response is robust and effective,” Torres and Pocan wrote.