U.S. confirms first case of more aggressive strain of mpox

The U.S. has reported its first case of a more aggressive strain of mpox. The WHO declared the virus' spread a public health emergency in August.

The U.S. on Saturday reported its first case of a more aggressive strain of mpox: an individual in California who had recently traveled from eastern Africa.

The case was confirmed by the California Department of Public Health and reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The person was treated in San Mateo County based on their travel history and symptoms and is now isolating at home and recovering, the state's health department said in a press release. Public health workers are contacting people who had close contact with the patient, "but there is no concern or evidence" that the strain is currently spreading in California or the U.S., the statement said.

The U.S. is the sixth country outside of Africa to have detected the strain, according to the CDC, which can cause more severe disease than the version of the virus that spread widely in 2022.

This strain’s spread across several African countries prompted the World Health Organization to declare a global public health emergency in August, the second time for mpox in two years.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/us-first-mpox-case-aggressive-strain-rcna167403

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