First known case of rare mpox strain confirmed in United States

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has confirmed the first case of a new strain of the mpox virus in the United States. This emerging strain, known as “clade I mpox,” was identified in a traveler who recently returned from Africa, where the virus is currently circulating. Despite this development, officials at the CDPH have assured the public that the risk of transmission remains very low.

The individual who tested positive for clade I mpox sought medical care in San Mateo County due to their travel history and symptoms. They are currently in isolation at home as a precautionary measure. The new strain of mpox, historically associated with more severe illness compared to clade II, has shown milder clinical presentations in recent cases when patients receive prompt medical attention.

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 laboratory analysis. Public health officials are also reaching out to individuals who may have had close contact with the patient, although there is no evidence of community transmission of clade I mpox in California or elsewhere in the country.

Both clade I and clade II mpox are primarily spread through close, skin-to-skin, intimate, or sexual contact. The CDPH has emphasized that casual contact in settings like offices, classrooms, or stores poses minimal risk of mpox transmission. The latest strain of mpox primarily spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, including sexual contact, and has the potential to cause severe illness and even fatalities. It first emerged in the eastern Congo.

Since September, over 31,000 confirmed cases of this new strain of mpox have been reported globally, with the majority concentrated in Burundi, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The CDC has also identified travel-related cases of the new mpox strain in several countries, including Germany, India, Kenya, Sweden, Thailand, Zimbabwe, and the United Kingdom. Enhanced precautions have been recommended for travelers to Central and Eastern Africa, where clade I mpox outbreaks are ongoing.

As of now, no deaths have been reported from this new strain of mpox. The CDPH has not yet responded to inquiries from Fox News Digital regarding this case. For more information, you can contact Jasmine, a writer at Fox News Digital and a military spouse based in New Orleans, at jasmine.baehr@fox.com.