At least eight young children across the country have contracted monkeypox, the viral disease that causes a rash or sores spread through skin-to-skin contact.

What You Need To Know

  • Pediatric cases of monkeypox are on the rise across the U.S., though they still only make up a tiny fraction of the total 11,890 cases identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

  • Children in Texas, Florida, California, Maine, Indiana and California have contracted monkeypox; an individual at a Las Vegas school also tested positive, although it is unclear if it was a student or staff

  • To date, the United States has identified 11,890 cases of monkeypox since the outbreak began in May; Wyoming is currently the only state with no reported cases 

  • While the current outbreak is largely among men who have sex with men, health officials say anyone can be at risk of contracting the virus – which spreads primarily through direct contact with an infectious rash, scab or body fluids

And there are even more pediatric cases of the virus, an age group defined by the Food and Drug Administration as being under the age of 21.

One presumptive positive case was identified in Harris County, Texas, on Tuesday in a child under two years old, officials said. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said at a press conference that the case is classified as such "because all of our cases are presumptive positive until we get complete confirmation from the CDC."

“So far, we have not yet had a presumptive positive not be a confirmed monkeypox case,” she said. “At some point that will happen but so far, it hasn't happened. So we are assuming that this will be a confirmed case. It'll take about a week for the information to come back.” 

Officials said the child is asymptomatic, though has a residual rash, and is expected to make a full recovery.

Officials in Texas are still unsure how the child contracted the virus, as they were not in any public daycares or school settings. Contact tracing is currently underway, Hidalgo said, adding that all of the child’s direct contacts are being offered the vaccine. So far, the child is expected to make a full recovery, and is only experiencing a residual rash. 

Florida on Monday also confirmed its first case of monkeypox in an individual under the age of four, though the state has also identified at least 8 confirmed or probably cases in people between the ages of 15-19. The young child resides in Martin County, according to the state’s Reportable Diseases Frequency Report. 

Last week, Maine reported its first case of monkeypox in an individual under the age of 18, the first pediatric case identified in the state. Officials on Friday declined to release more information about the individual, citing patient privacy, but said they were actively working to identify any close contacts. 

“Maine has received the monkeypox vaccine, Jynneos, from the federal government and is making the vaccine available to close contacts of identified cases as well as those at risk of transmitting monkeypox or becoming severely ill,” Maine’s CDC noted, adding: “Under a recent emergency use authorization from the U.S. FDA, individuals under 18 may also receive Jynneos.” 

At least four individuals under the age of 18 have contracted the virus in California, according to data last updated on August 11. The first pediatric case in the state – which was also among the first in the country – was identified in late July, and concerned an infected toddler who was exposed to the virus from adults in their household, according to California health officials. 

“Because monkeypox spreads through close physical contact, it is not unusual for people living in the same household who are unable to isolate to contract the virus,” a spokesperson for the California Department of Public Health said in a statement at the time.  

Around the same time the toddler in California was infected, so too was an infant (in an unrelated case) who was traveling through Washington, D.C., though CDC director Rochelle Walensky said the child was a non-resident of the United States. 

And Indiana had identified at least two cases of monkeypox in children between mid June and the end of July. 

Last Friday, Nevada's Clark County School District in Las Vegas announced that someone at Palo Verde High School has been diagnosed with monkeypox, but district officials did not say whether the person was a student or school staffer.

Despite the uptick in cases among younger patients, experts do not seem to be terribly concerned that the virus will pose severe health risks for the cohort. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that the “risk of children getting infected with monkeypox virus is low,” though those chances are higher for immunocompromised children or those with certain skin conditions, like eczema. 

To date, the United States has identified 11,890 cases of monkeypox since the outbreak began in May; Wyoming is currently the only state with no reported cases. 

While the current outbreak is largely among men who have sex with men, health officials say anyone can be at risk of contracting the virus – which spreads primarily through direct contact with an infectious rash, scab or body fluids. 

“Monkeypox is something that can affect anyone,” Demetre Daskalakis, White House National Monkeypox Response deputy coordinator, told Spectrum News several weeks ago, noting that it is particularly important to ensure the most at-risk groups have access to adequate information. 

“It's a disservice to everyone to not make sure that we get general information out because we need our medical providers to be alert,” he added. “If you see a rash in someone that doesn't make sense, even if they're not gay, bisexual or another man who has sex with men, it's important to think about monkeypox.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.