The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has confirmed the first case of a rare strain of the mpox virus in the United States. This particular strain, known as “clade I mpox,” was found in a traveler who had recently returned from Africa, where the virus is currently active. Despite this development, health officials have stated that the risk to the general public is very low.
The individual infected with the clade I mpox sought medical attention in San Mateo County due to their travel history to East Africa and their symptoms. They are currently in isolation at home, receiving medical care. Unlike the clade II strain, which has caused outbreaks in California and the U.S. since 2022, clade I mpox has shown milder symptoms in recent cases when patients receive appropriate medical treatment.
The CDPH has notified the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about this case, and samples from the patient are being sent for further testing in laboratories. Health officials are also reaching out to individuals who may have been in close contact with the infected person, although there is no evidence of widespread transmission of clade I mpox in California or the country.
Both clade I and clade II mpox are primarily spread through close physical contact such as skin-to-skin contact or intimate interactions. The CDPH has reassured the public that casual contact in settings like offices, classrooms, or stores poses minimal risk of mpox transmission.
This new strain of mpox has been predominantly documented in African countries like Burundi, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with over 31,000 confirmed cases globally since September. Additionally, travel-related cases have been identified in countries like Germany, India, Kenya, Sweden, Thailand, Zimbabwe, and the United Kingdom. The CDC has advised travelers to Central and Eastern Africa to take enhanced precautions due to ongoing outbreaks of clade I mpox in those regions.
As of now, there have been no reported deaths from this new strain in the United States. The CDPH has yet to respond to inquiries from Fox News Digital regarding this case. Jasmine, a writer at Fox News Digital and a military spouse in New Orleans, can be contacted at jasmine.baehr@fox.com for more stories.
