The first U.S. case of the more severe mpox variant has been confirmed in a person who recently traveled to East Africa and was treated in San Mateo County, the California Department of Public Health announced Saturday.
While the person diagnosed with the clade I variant is recovering in isolation at home, public health officials have notified people who had close contact with the person.
The California Department of Public Health said there is no evidence the strain is widespread in California or the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk of contracting clade I mpox in the United States remains low.
A less severe variant known as Clade II continues to circulate in the United States, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, two of the last epicenters of 2022.
In Africa, the clade I outbreak is centered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where, as of October 6, there were 6,169 confirmed cases and 25 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
Two years ago, clade II mpox infections were rapidly increasing in cities around the world, especially in the United States. Although this type of mpox was rarely fatal, authorities declared a global public health emergency in July 2022. Although cases have not completely disappeared, the number of viruses has steadily decreased.
In August 2024, the emergence of the more lethal Clade I variant triggered another global health alert.
However, recent evidence suggests that this clade I outbreak may be causing less severe disease than in previous cases, especially if patients receive high-quality health care, the CDC said. said. In the past, this strain has had a mortality rate of 3% to 11%, but in this outbreak, with proper medical care, the mortality rate appears to be closer to 1%.
Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox, but it causes mild symptoms such as fever, chills, and body aches.
Symptoms of both types of chickenpox are similar, with more severe cases causing a rash on the hands, feet, chest, face, mouth, or genitals. Both strains are transmitted through skin-to-skin or sexual contact.
The CDC urges at-risk populations, including men who have sex with men, to get vaccinated, avoid skin-to-skin contact with people with shingles-like rashes or sores, and avoid hand-to-hand contact. It recommends taking precautions such as washing. Frequently.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health recommends the mpox vaccine to some people, including men who have sex with men and transgender men, people with HIV, and people who have had skin-to-skin or close contact with someone who is suspected of having HIV. We continue to recommend vaccination. I checked the mpox.
