First severe mpox clade I case identified in New York City health advisory
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The first severe case of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) has been detected in New York, according to an advisory issued by the NYC Department of Health.
One resident tested positive for mpox clade I, one of the two main genetic groups (clades) of the mpox virus that causes the disease.
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. “Clade I causes more severe symptoms and can be life-threatening,” Marc Siegel told Fox News Digital. “It spreads through direct contact or through sex, kissing, and very close respiratory droplets, but it does not spread longer distances by breathing.”
THE SURFACE OF THE MPOX STRAIN IN THE US WITHOUT INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL RAISES FEARS OF A WIDE OUTBREAK
Clade II was the strain that caused a global pandemic in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Survival rates for this species are greater than 99.9%.
Clade I, which is responsible for the epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Africa in 2024, is known to cause more serious diseases and deaths.
The first severe case of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) has been detected in New York, according to an advisory issued by the NYC Department of Health. (iStock)
The patient, from New York, recently traveled outside the country. “This appears to have come here from travel and does not appear to have spread locally,” Siegel said.
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NYC Health Commissioner Dr. According to Alister Martin, local transmission of mpox clade I is unknown in New York City and the risk to local residents remains low.
“The NYC Department of Health recommends that New Yorkers at risk for mpox receive and complete the two-dose vaccine series that attempts to prevent mpox,” he said in a statement.
According to the NYC health commissioner, local transmission of mpox clade I is unknown in New York City and the risk to local residents remains low. (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration)
To help prevent transmission, the CDC recommends vaccination for men who are gay, bisexual or have sex with men, are 18 or older, and have other specific risks. Those planning to travel to areas where Clad Impox is spread should also seek vaccination.
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People who have been in close contact with an infected person must be vaccinated within 14 days.
As with other viral infections, those who are immunocompromised or are very young are at the greatest risk for serious infection.
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According to experts, vaccination can help reduce the chances of infection and also make symptoms less severe. Two doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine are the most common type of protection. Those who have had Mpox do not need to be vaccinated.
In rare cases, mpox can lead to eye infections, severe rashes, painful skin lesions, and neurological problems. (iStock)
Symptoms of Mpox include a painful, blistering rash, sometimes on various parts of the body, fever, chills, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, swollen lymph nodes and respiratory symptoms, according to the CDC. These symptoms usually appear one to three weeks after exposure.
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In rare cases, mpox can lead to eye infections, severe rashes, painful skin lesions, and neurological problems.
Mpox treatment includes supportive care to manage symptoms. Siegel noted that in severe cases, patients may receive TPOXX (tecovirimate), an antiviral medication used to treat infections caused by smallpox-related viruses, including mpox.
