California Confirms Nation’s First Case of Virulent Clade 1 Monkeypox

California Confirms Nation’s First Case of Virulent Clade 1 Monkeypox

We have been following the spread of the virulent new monkeypox variant (i.e., mpox clade) that is at the center of a significant outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and neighboring countries.  In addition to central Africa, the new strain has been reported in India, Sweden, Thailand, and Germany.

Now, the first case of the strain, which is easier to transmit and has the potential to cause more severe disease, has been reported in this country.

Not surprisingly, the first stop for monkeypox in the US is in California.

A person in California has tested positive for a form of mpox causing a widespread epidemic in Africa, the state’s Department of Public Health reported on Saturday. It is the first known case in the United States.

The individual, who was not identified, had recently returned from East Africa. The patient was diagnosed in San Mateo County, just south of San Francisco, and was isolating at home.

Officials at the California Department of Public Health and at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reaching out to potential contacts of the patient for further testing.

There is no evidence that this version of the mpox virus, called Clade Ib, is circulating in communities in the United States, C.D.C. officials said.

Public health officials are stressing that the disease risk in countries with good healthcare systems is low and that most of the infections reported outside of Africa are from travel-related cases.

….Travel-related cases of mpox clade Ib have been reported in Germany, India, Kenya, Sweden, Thailand, Zimbabwe, and the United Kingdom. Some countries outside of Africa have also reported locally transmitted cases.

“The recent travel-associated clade I mpox cases outside of Africa have all been attributed to subclade Ib; there have been no deaths associated with these cases and available data for a subset has detailed relatively mild disease courses,” the CDC said Saturday.

“Historically, clade I mpox has caused more severe illness and deaths than clade II mpox; however, recent data demonstrate that infections from clade I mpox in the current outbreak may not be as clinically severe as in previous outbreaks.

While outbreaks of clade I mpox used to have death rates around 3%-11%, more recent outbreaks have had death rates as low as approximately 1% when patients received good medical oversight and supportive clinical care. Death rates are expected to be much lower in countries with stronger healthcare systems and treatment options, including the United States.”

Hopefully, the patient recovers fully and there is no further spread. If this more serious disease continues to spread, it could really put a damper on Pride Month festivities.

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