First U. S. Case of Deadlier Mpox Strain Confirmed

The U. S. recently had its first case of the more dangerous clade I strain of mpox. A traveler from Eastern Africa was diagnosed in California and is now recovering at home. Public health workers are investigating people who had close contact with the patient. This strain has been detected in six other countries outside Africa. It's more severe than the 2022 outbreak's clade II, which infected over 32, 000 people in the U.S. Clade I has mostly spread through contact with infected animals and within households in Africa, with children under 15 making up two-thirds of cases. In the U. S. , experts think it might spread similarly to 2022's outbreak. While past outbreaks have had high fatality rates, health officials believe the U. S. might be better equipped to handle it. Vaccines and improved preparedness since 2022 are in place.