Doctor shares what people should know about a new mpox strain
Fox News contributor Dr. Janette Neishewat discusses the CDC confirming the first U.S. case of a new mpox strain on 'Fox Report.'
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has reported the first known U.S. case of an emerging strain of the mpox virus, according to a CDPH release on Saturday.
The case of "clade I mpox" was identified in a traveler recently returned from Africa, where this strain is actively circulating. Officials with the CDPH have emphasized that the risk to the public remains "very low."
The individual, who sought medical care in San Mateo County due to travel history to East Africa and symptoms, is in isolation at home.
5 OF THE TOP SOURCES OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS AND HOW TO PREVENT IT
The clade I mpox, historically associated with more severe illness than clade II — the strain responsible for outbreaks in California and the U.S. since 2022 — has shown milder clinical presentations in recent cases as long as patients receive medical care.
CDPH has informed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the case, and specimens from the patient are being sent for further laboratory analysis.
The new strain of mpox was recorded in a case discovered in California, the first in the United States. (iStock)
Public health officials are contacting those who may have had close contact with the patient, though there is no evidence of community transmission of clade I mpox in California or the rest of the country.
LEGIONNAIRES’ DISEASE OUTBREAK LINKED TO CRUISE SHIP HOT TUBS, CDC SAYS
Both clade I and clade II mpox spread primarily through close, skin-to-skin, intimate, or sexual contact.
In the release, the CDPH also reassured the public that casual contact, such as in offices, classrooms or stores, poses minimal risk of mpox transmission.
The CDC said the latest strain primarily spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, including sexual contact, and has the potential to cause severe illness and even fatalities. It emerged first in the eastern Congo.
A patient infected with mpox shows lesions on his body in Kamituga, South Kivu province in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sept. 20. (Glody Murhabazi/AFP via Getty Images)
Since September, over 31,000 confirmed cases of this strain of mpox have been documented globally, with the majority concentrated in three African countries: Burundi, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as reported by the World Health Organization.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
The CDC has also identified travel-related cases of this new mpox strain in countries including Germany, India, Kenya, Sweden, Thailand, Zimbabwe, and the United Kingdom.
The CDC has issued enhanced precautions for travelers to Central and Eastern Africa, where clade I mpox outbreaks are ongoing.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
No deaths have been reported yet from this new strain, according to the CDC.
The CDPH did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Fox News Health
Stay up-to-date on the biggest health and wellness news with our weekly recap.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.