BREAKING: First US case of deadlier Mpox strain confirmed—what you need to know!
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The US has confirmed its first case of a more dangerous mpox strain. Is this the start of something bigger?
Find out what this means for your safety.
The individual, located in California, had recently returned from eastern Africa and is now in isolation, recovering at home.
This case, confirmed by the California Department of Public Health and reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has raised questions about the potential for a new outbreak and what precautions need to be taken.
The strain in question, known as clade I, is notorious for causing more severe disease than the clade II strain that was responsible for the global outbreak in 2022.
This particular strain has been spreading across several African countries, prompting the World Health Organization to declare a global public health emergency in August, the second such declaration for mpox in two years.
Clade I had, until recently, been confined to Central and East Africa, where it is endemic.
However, an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has led to cases in eight other African countries this year.
The first known case outside of Africa was confirmed in Sweden, followed by Thailand, with both patients having spent time in Africa. Travel-related cases have also been detected in Germany, India, and the United Kingdom.
Mpox spreads through direct contact with an infected person, animal, or contaminated items such as clothing or bedding.
The clade II strain that spread in 2022 was primarily transmitted through sexual contact, especially among men who have sex with men.
In contrast, clade I has been spreading largely through contact with infected animals and household transmission.
Notably, two-thirds of the suspected cases from January 2023 to April 2024 were among children aged 15 and under.
The current outbreak of clade I in the Democratic Republic of Congo has a fatality rate of around 5%, which is significantly higher than the 0.2% global fatality rate for the 2022 outbreak.
However, health officials are cautiously optimistic that clade I could pose a milder threat in the US, given the lower rates of malnutrition and a more robust healthcare system.
The CDC has instructed doctors to test for mpox and is monitoring for both clades at wastewater sites across the country, including airports.
The country also has an adequate supply of the two-dose Jynneos vaccine, which is available to men who have sex with men and other high-risk groups.
Health officials are hopeful that two doses of the vaccine or a previous infection will protect against severe illness from clade I.
Despite the availability of vaccines, only 23% of the population at significant risk has been fully vaccinated.
Health officials are aiming to expand coverage, having administered around 1.2 million vaccine doses from May 2022 to January 2023.
Mpox typically begins with a rash that progresses to small bumps on the skin, followed by fluid-filled blisters that eventually scab over.
Symptoms may also include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, or swollen lymph nodes.
During the 2022 outbreak, lesions often appeared around the genital and anal regions or inside the mouth and throat, and were described as exceedingly painful.
Have you or someone you know been affected by mpox? What measures are you taking to stay safe? Share your experiences and insights in the comments below.
Find out what this means for your safety.
The individual, located in California, had recently returned from eastern Africa and is now in isolation, recovering at home.
This case, confirmed by the California Department of Public Health and reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has raised questions about the potential for a new outbreak and what precautions need to be taken.
The strain in question, known as clade I, is notorious for causing more severe disease than the clade II strain that was responsible for the global outbreak in 2022.
The United States has reported its first case of a more aggressive strain of mpox from a person in California who had recently returned from eastern Africa. Image source: Pexels.
This particular strain has been spreading across several African countries, prompting the World Health Organization to declare a global public health emergency in August, the second such declaration for mpox in two years.
Clade I had, until recently, been confined to Central and East Africa, where it is endemic.
However, an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has led to cases in eight other African countries this year.
The first known case outside of Africa was confirmed in Sweden, followed by Thailand, with both patients having spent time in Africa. Travel-related cases have also been detected in Germany, India, and the United Kingdom.
Mpox spreads through direct contact with an infected person, animal, or contaminated items such as clothing or bedding.
The clade II strain that spread in 2022 was primarily transmitted through sexual contact, especially among men who have sex with men.
In contrast, clade I has been spreading largely through contact with infected animals and household transmission.
Notably, two-thirds of the suspected cases from January 2023 to April 2024 were among children aged 15 and under.
The current outbreak of clade I in the Democratic Republic of Congo has a fatality rate of around 5%, which is significantly higher than the 0.2% global fatality rate for the 2022 outbreak.
However, health officials are cautiously optimistic that clade I could pose a milder threat in the US, given the lower rates of malnutrition and a more robust healthcare system.
The CDC has instructed doctors to test for mpox and is monitoring for both clades at wastewater sites across the country, including airports.
The country also has an adequate supply of the two-dose Jynneos vaccine, which is available to men who have sex with men and other high-risk groups.
Health officials are hopeful that two doses of the vaccine or a previous infection will protect against severe illness from clade I.
Despite the availability of vaccines, only 23% of the population at significant risk has been fully vaccinated.
Health officials are aiming to expand coverage, having administered around 1.2 million vaccine doses from May 2022 to January 2023.
Mpox typically begins with a rash that progresses to small bumps on the skin, followed by fluid-filled blisters that eventually scab over.
Symptoms may also include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, or swollen lymph nodes.
During the 2022 outbreak, lesions often appeared around the genital and anal regions or inside the mouth and throat, and were described as exceedingly painful.
