New York Officials Warn of Monkeypox Surge After Sounding Alarm on Deadly Disease Caused by Rat Urine

New York City health officials have issued a warning about a “substantial” increase in monkeypox infections and urged vigilance as monthly cases have more than doubled compared to most of last year, with the advisory coming just weeks after authorities warned of a record jump in cases of a potentially deadly disease caused by rat urine. After averaging between two and 20 monthly cases for most of 2023, the Big Apple saw a jump in October to an average of 36 monthly cases of monkeypox, New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene officials said in a May 3 advisory. The peak case count was 51 in January 2024, officials said, which is several times higher than around the same time last year. Officials said that 94 percent of the 256 cases recorded between January and April of this year were among men who had sex with other men. Most of the cases were mild, with ten people hospitalized....