Testing squeeze keeps the scope of monkeypox a mystery

The CDC says less than 300 samples have been sent to labs for testing for monkeypox as of June 10, meaning just 2% of national lab capacity is being devoted to the outbreak, per the Association of Public Health Laboratories.

“We must increase testing for those with a characteristic, pimple-like or blister-like rash so we can make swift diagnoses,” CDC director Rochelle Walensky said on Friday.

Experts say the true number of U.S. cases is significantly higher than the 49 confirmed so far and question why the federal government isn’t doing more.

“The sheer geographic spread of cases means this is a bigger outbreak than we are capturing right now,” David Harvey, executive director of the National Coalition for STD Directors, told Axios. “So we are very worried about this; we’re worried about a lack of an effective federal response, and we think we need to kick into high gear to deal with this.”