Two years ago, cases of the viral disease MPOX rose rapidly in cities around the world, especially in the United States, sparking a scramble for vaccine doses to contain the outbreak and alleviate the unpleasant symptoms caused by the virus.
The mpox strain was rarely lethal. Still, authorities quickly declared this a global public health emergency in July 2022. In the months that followed, the spread of the virus steadily declined, but cases were not completely eliminated.
But last week, a more worrying variant of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, once again prompted a global health alert. The outbreak is primarily affecting Central African countries, but officials have warned it is more spreadable and significantly more deadly than the 2022 variant.
Where is the concern for mpox now?
The World Health Organization considers this clade, or variant, of mpox the latest global health emergency. The majority of these mpox clade I cases have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has already seen 14,000 cases and 524 deaths this year, according to World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. It is occurring.
Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox, but it causes mild symptoms such as fever, chills, and body aches. More severely affected patients may develop lesions on the face, hands, and chest. Recent outbreaks of mpox can also cause lesions on people’s genitals, making them harder to detect and potentially easier to spread.
The virus is endemic, or naturally occurring, in Congo and parts of Central Africa, but health authorities have recently detected this more worrying strain in neighboring non-endemic countries, and outside Africa, Sweden The first infected person was confirmed. The World Health Organization said public health officials were concerned about “the potential for further spread across African countries and possibly beyond the continent.”
As of this summer, the CDC still considered the risk of mpox to the general public in the United States to be very low, but said the risk was slightly higher for men who have sex with men. During the 2022 mpox global pandemic, gay and bisexual men made up the majority of cases, as the virus spread primarily through close contact, including sex.
Some of these patterns are also being observed in the new outbreak in Central Africa, where officials say children under 15 now account for more than 70% of mpox infections and 85% of deaths in Congo. He said it was occupied.
However, it is important to note that there are no confirmed cases of the new mpox variant in the United States, and health officials say they are closely monitoring the situation.
Should Californians worry?
The outbreak in 2022 “should have served as a stark reminder that infectious diseases ignore national borders, and what happens in one part of the world can quickly become a concern for everyone.” ” said Dr. Anne Rimoine, professor of epidemiology at UCLA.
She also said that while the risk of widespread infection outside Africa is very low, public health officials should not become complacent.
“However, as I have always said, any infection anywhere can be transmitted anywhere, and the best way to reduce the impact of clade I-related infections is through early detection and response,” Limoan said. he said.
But Californians don’t need to stress about the transmission of this latest strain because “we have the tools to control mpox through surveillance, testing, case management, vaccines and public health messaging,” she said. said.
What do local government officials do?
The 2022 variant, known as Clade II, continues to circulate in the United States, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, the epicenters of previous outbreaks.
“Clade II has been detected intermittently in wastewater,” said Dr. Julia Janssen, deputy director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s Division of HIV/STI Prevention and Control. “There’s no need to worry.”
San Francisco has been experiencing about one case per week so far this year. Los Angeles has recorded a slight increase in cases this summer.
“We continue to monitor the development of mpox with our state and federal partners,” Janssen said. She noted that unlike previous mpox outbreaks, there is now a robust testing infrastructure in place to help identify when and if clade I strains enter the United States.
The recent declaration of a global health emergency has put countries, including the United States, on high alert to step up surveillance and detection, Limoin said.
The California Department of Health Services issued an advisory this month advising health care providers to “increase suspicion of clade I mpox in patients who have recently traveled to Africa and present with signs and symptoms consistent with mpox.”
The recent declaration of a health emergency will also free up resources previously unavailable for global coordination, critical research to address knowledge gaps, and public health responses, Limoin said.
It also helps, she says, that this isn’t an entirely new virus. The key to containment is early detection and response.
What should I do if something happens?
“We continue to strongly recommend and encourage two-dose vaccination” for those considered most at risk, Janssen said. He noted that the risk to the general public remains low, so only certain groups of people are recommended for vaccination. The CDC continues to recommend that people who have been exposed to mpox, as well as certain homosexuals, bisexuals, or other men who have sex with men, get vaccinated.
Janssen said that despite the geographic location of the new outbreak, “vaccination is not recommended for solo travelers.”
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health continues to recommend that the following people should receive the vaccine:
A transgender person who has sex with men or men or transgender people. Persons of any gender or sexual orientation who engage in commercial and/or transactional sex. People living with HIV, especially those whose HIV infection is uncontrolled or has progressed. Anyone who has had skin-to-skin contact or close contact with a person suspected or confirmed to have M.P.O.X., including those who have not yet been confirmed by a public health agency.
Is there a vaccine or treatment to prevent mpox?
yes. The good news is that doses of the Jynneos vaccine, used to prevent both mpox and smallpox, are in abundance.
CDC officials said, “Medical countermeasures that are effective against clade II mpox are expected to be effective against clade I mpox as well,” Janssen said. “This includes the recommended vaccine, Zinneos, as well as other treatments.”
At this time, the mpox vaccine is free across the United States and in California. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is offering the JYNNEOS two-dose vaccine. The county has an online list of vaccination sites where the mpox vaccine is available.
If I was vaccinated two years ago, do I need to get a booster shot?
Booster shots are currently not recommended.
“People who complete the series do not need to receive additional doses,” Janssen said. “And people who have been previously infected do not need to be vaccinated.”
