The first case of a more aggressive type of mpox has been reported in California, marking the first time the United States has reported the version of mpox that has been at the center of an outbreak in central and eastern Africa.
The case represents a version of mpox known as Clade I, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which differs from the Clade II mpox that has been in the United States since the 2022 outbreak that primarily impacted men who have sex with men. Clade II has continued to circulate within the United States, but there are far fewer cases than during the 2022 outbreak.
The individual in California has Clade Ib — a “subclade” of Clade I — which is consistent with every other case of Clade I reported outside of Africa, according to the CDC. Among those cases, there have been no deaths and “relatively mild disease courses,” the CDC said.
The outbreak prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a global emergency in August. Through this year, the DRC has witnessed more than 47,000 suspected mpox cases and more than 1,000 deaths.
The person with Clade Ib recently traveled to California from Africa, according to the California Department of Public Health, but it is not clear which African country the person traveled from. The individual received medical care but is now home and recovering in isolation. The countries impacted by Clade I include Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda.
There is no concern that Clade I is spreading in the United States, health officials said, and no such cases have been reported in New York State. New York City has reported 20 cases of mpox between Sept. 5 and Oct. 5. The city has seen 371 so far this year. Many cases of mpox have spread between men who have sex with men.
“Mpox needs close or intimate contact to spread, so it’s not spread through casual contact, such as one might have in public spaces like markets, offices, classrooms, or during travel,” the CDC’s website states. “The best protection against mpox is two doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine if you’re eligible.”
Out lesbian Queens Councilmember Lynn Schulman posted on X to encourage folks to get the mpox vaccine, which calls for two shots one month apart. The vaccine protects against both Clade I and Clade II, according to health officials.
“If you have already been vaccinated previously, you likely don’t need to do anything,” Schulman wrote on X. “If you have had the first vaccine, but not the second, you should get that done right away. Contact your provider for further information or call 311 if you need one. While there are no cases yet reported in NY, it is best to take precautions. You can also go to http://nyc.gov/mpox. Be safe!”
