California health officials are investigating cases of a more severe form of mpox after confirming it had, for first time known to authorities, spread locally in the United States.
Three cases of clade I mpox were confirmed in Los Angeles County this week in people who had not recently traveled to a country where the virus is commonly found, the LA health department said in an Oct. 17 press release. While a different clade, or group, of mpox has been present in the United States for years, these new cases represent the first of this kind that appear to have been spread locally rather than via exposure during travel abroad.
This type of mpox is associated with more severe illness, said public health officials. While there have been nine reported cases of clade I mpox in the United States this year, the rest were associated with travel outside the country.
The first local case was reported in Long Beach on Oct. 14, while two more were reported in other areas of LA County on the 16th and 17th. All three people were hospitalized before being sent home to quarantine and recover, officials said. No further details about the patients were released, and no clear link between the cases has been identified.
The risk to the public remains low, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in a statement. It is recommended, however, that people at higher risk get vaccinated against the illness if they have not already.
Cases of severe mpox strain confirmed in California, officials say
