The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and San Mateo County Health areaware of a new type of mpox that has been found in the state.
CDPH reported that a case of the clade I strain that just came from Central and Eastern Africa is the first case of this kind to be found in the United States.
Clade I mpox has been linked to worse symptoms in the past than clade II mpox, which has been going around in the United States since 2022.
But now that the patient is safe and sound at home alone and doing well, health officials are looking for anyone who may have been in close touch with them.
Even though it’s interesting that clade I mpox has shown up in the U.S. through travel, the person who got it has been healing at home without much trouble.
“Even though clade I may be new to the U.S., we and other counties have been responding to mpox since 2022 with contact tracing, guidance, and vaccine support,” said Dr. Kismet Baldwin-Santana, the health officer for San Mateo County.
She said, “There is no concern or evidence that mpox clade I is currently spreading among individuals in San Mateo County or elsewhere in the United States.”
Health officials have responded in a calm and careful way.
Because they had symptoms and had recently traveled from a place where outbreaks were known to be happening, the affected person quickly sought medical help in San Mateo County.
Even though there are no signs of the disease spreading to other people, public health workers are still getting in touch with close friends to keep an eye on things and stop any possible spread.
Mpox, no matter what strain it is, is usually spread through close, skin-to-skin, intimate, or sexual contact. This means that casual contacts like those that happen in public places are much less likely to be carriers of the virus.
The CDPH’s main message is still to take preventative steps. People who are at risk should think about getting vaccinated and taking extra care if they are exposed.
The CDPH recommends on their website “taking precautions if you were exposed to mpox,” such as getting vaccinated before symptoms show up and maybe not touching someone intimately for three weeks. They also say to “avoid skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash or sores that look like mpox.”
Californians should check out the CDC website or the CDPH’s official statement, which includes trip safety tips, for more information and to ease any worries they may still have.
The CDPH’s Sexual Health Toolkits and Campaign Materials Page also has useful information. The tools on this page can be used to stop the spread of mpox as well as for better sexual behavior in general.
