The United States’ first known case of a more severe strain of mpox was confirmed in California, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Saturday. The risk of clade I mpox to the public remains low, the agency said.
The person diagnosed with clade I mpox had recently traveled from Eastern Africa, where an mpox outbreak is ongoing. The person was treated at a local medical facility and released, the CDC said. The person has been isolating at home and their symptoms are improving. The state and CDC are working to identify and follow up with potential contacts.
Clade II mpox has been circulating in the United States since a large outbreak in 2022 and 2023. A more recent outbreak in Africa is driven by clade I, which is known to cause more severe disease…