US Reports Three More Cases of Virulent Clade I Monkeypox
We have been following the spread of the virulent new monkeypox variant (i.e., mpox clade I) 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.
At the end of last year, I reported that California had reported its first case of this strain. As a reminder, Clade I is easier to spread and causes more serious effects than the Clade II version that was responsible for the global outbreak in 2022.
At the start of the year, the Georgia Department of Public Health reported the second case of clade I in the country. This case was travel-associated, with the individual recently returning from an area experiencing clade I transmission.
Last month, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS) reported the country’s case of clade I mpox on February 7, 2025. The case involved an adult from Merrimack County who had recently traveled to Eastern Africa, where there was an ongoing outbreak of clade I mpox. The individual was self-isolating and recovered at home.
Officials said the case is likely related to the person’s recent travel, and there’s no evidence that clade I mpox is spreading from person to person in New Hampshire or within the United States.DHHS is conducting a disease investigation to identify anyone who may have had close contact with the individual. Health officials said there have been no public locations identified where exposure might have occurred.”The mpox virus is spread primarily through direct physical contact with someone who has mpox and has developed an infectious skin rash,” said state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan. “Public Health is working to identify and notify people who had close contact with the individual, so we can connect them with preventive vaccination and help them to monitor for symptoms of mpox.”
Shortly afterward, New York State issued a report that one of its residents was infected with Clade I.
The case in New York involves a symptomatic individual who recently traveled to some part of Africa. There are no other known cases of I in the state.
“The individual who contracted the virus is under the care of a physician and isolated until the full resolution of symptoms,” said Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald in a news release. “There is no known local transmission of mpox clade I in the community where the individual lives or anywhere within New York state.”Currently, no other cases of the new mpox strain in New York have been reported and there is no immediate risk to the public, according to the state Health Department.
In terms of its status in Africa, presently, there are 20,000 suspected Clade I/Clade II mpox cases, including 5,000 confirmed cases and 194 deaths, which have been reported across 15 African countries. The Democratic Republic of Congo accounts for most confirmed and suspected cases. The outbreak has been most severe in children under 15 years old due to low immunity and malnutrition, with mortality rates reaching up to 10% in this group.
It may be fortuitous that interest in “Pride Month” is waning, at least among sponsors. With a more virulent and serious strain out there, already reported in 21 countries, who knows how far a Summer of 2025 outbreak could spread?
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