Officials announce first known cases of severe Mpox strain spreading in US, raising alarm over local transmission in Los Angeles County
According to the US website, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported on October 17 that three cases of clade I mpox had been confirmed this week in people who had not recently traveled to countries where the virus is endemic. Unlike other strains of mpox that have been circulating in the United States for years, these cases are likely the first known to result from local transmission rather than travel-related exposure.
Public health officials have noted that this strain of mpox is linked to more serious illness. Although nine cases of clade I mpox have been reported in the United States this year, all previous cases were linked to travel abroad.
The first local case was identified in Long Beach on October 14, followed by two additional cases in other parts of Los Angeles County on October 16 and 17. All three people were hospitalized and have since returned home to quarantine and recover, officials said. No additional information about the patients was disclosed and no direct connection between the cases was established.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health stated that the overall risk to the public is low. But officials recommend that individuals at higher risk get vaccinated against the disease if they haven’t already.
“The confirmation of a third case with no travel history raises concerns about possible local spread in Los Angeles County,” said Los Angeles County Health Officer Muntu Davis. “We are working closely with our partners to identify potential sources and understand how this potentially more serious strain of mpox virus spreads.”
What is MPOX?
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is an infectious viral disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it often causes painful rashes, swollen lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, and fatigue. The virus is divided into two classes or groups, class I and class II, each with two subclasses. Branches represent biological lineages that share a common ancestor.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), both strains of the virus can be transmitted through close contact with an infected person, contact with contaminated objects, or interaction with infected wild animals, live or dead. The risk from animal exposure is greatest in West and Central Africa, where mpox is more common.
Other common symptoms include:
Fire
Shake
swollen lymph nodes
Fatigue Muscle aches and back pain
Headache Respiratory symptoms
