The virus formerly known as Monkeypox is fatal in about 15 percent of cases of immunosuppressed people. It can also put solid organ transplant recipients and those with blood cancers at risk.
Scientists would like to see the World Health Organization add mpox to the list of severe infections that are dangerous to people with advanced HIV. That move would unlock greater financial and medical support.
Since May 2022, approximately 85 thousand cases of mpox have been reported and 93 people have died around the world. Many cases are in men who have sex with men and 38-50 percent of those diagnosed also live with HIV. The vast majority of those are on HIV treatment and living healthy lives.