First locally acquired US case of more severe clade 1 mpox identified in California
The first US case of locally acquired clade 1 mpox has been reported in Long Beach, California, according to city and state health authorities.
The clade 1 case is the nation’s first in a person with no recent travel history and the seventh clade 1 case in the country. The patient required hospitalization and is now isolating and recovering at home, the City of Long Beach news release said.
Public health officials are reviewing the patient’s potential source of exposure and conducting contact tracing. No other cases have been identified.
“While the overall risk of mpox clade I exposure to the public remains low, we are taking this very seriously and ensuring our community and health care partners remain vigilant so we can prevent any more cases,” Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said in the release. “This underscores the importance of continued surveillance, early response, and vaccination.”
Clade 1 primarily found in Africa
Historically, clade 1 is tied to more severe illness and has mainly been found in Central and East Africa. Clade 2, which usually causes mild illness, was linked to the large 2022-23 mpox outbreak in the United States and elsewhere that was spread primarily in men who have sex with men (MSM). Mpox symptoms can include rash or sores, fever, chills, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and body aches.
