The California Department of Public Health has confirmed the first known case of Clade I mpox in the U.S., following laboratory testing of a patient who recently traveled from East Africa.
The case, diagnosed in San Mateo County, Calif., is linked to an ongoing outbreak of Clade I mpox in Central and Eastern Africa. While the risk to the general public remains low, health officials are actively monitoring the situation, according to a Nov. 16 CDC news release.
The patient, who has not been identified, was treated at a local medical facility after returning from East Africa and was subsequently released. They have been isolating at home and are not receiving specific treatment for mpox. According to the CDC, the patient's symptoms are improving and the agency has initiated contact tracing efforts to identify anyone who may have been exposed.
Clade 1 mpox has caused significant outbreaks in parts of Africa, with more than 57,000 confirmed or suspected cases and nearly 1,200 deaths this year alone, The New York Times reported. However, this particular subtype has not been circulating in the U.S.