The first case of severe mpox in the United States was confirmed by health officials to have occurred in a traveler returning from eastern Africa. The individual, who had traveled to the eastern part of Congo—where this new strain of mpox was first identified—was treated. The patient’s health is improving, and according to the California Department of Public Health, “the overall risk to the public is low.” The patient has been isolating at home, but public health officials are working to contact close contacts proactively.
Mpox is an extremely rare viral illness closely related to smallpox and seems to have an endemic mode within parts of Africa, wherein the virus is transmitted by the bites of rodents or other small animals. The symptoms are said to range between mild presentations such as fever, chills, and overall body aches to more serious manifestations involving painful lesions on the face, hands, chest, and genital areas.
In late May, researchers reported a new and more transmissible strain of mpox circulating in eastern and central Africa, mainly through close contact including sexual transmission.
While this new strain has been significantly reported from Africa, cases outside the continent are limited. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only a few cases have been reported in travelers to countries like Germany, India, Kenya, Sweden, Thailand, Zimbabwe, and the United Kingdom.
Mpox Outbreak
According to the World Health Organization, over 3,100 confirmed cases of this new mpox strain have been reported since the late September. This has especially been reported in Burundi, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Things are stabilizing in the situation in Congo, though it is estimated that the Africa CDC needs at least 3 million vaccines to curb the spread of the virus in Congo, and another 7 million doses for the rest of Africa.
