As more countries report mpox infections, the United States is preparing for an mpox strain more severe than the version that recently circulated the world, NBC News reported Sept. 6.
The strain, clade I, has infected more than 24,800 people so far in 2024, according to World Health Organization officials. In August, The CDC advised U.S. clinicians to watch for signs of the severe strain about a week before the WHO declared the outbreak a global health emergency.
Mpox clade II was a public health emergency of international concern from July 2022 through May 2023, according to the WHO. Clade I can kill up to 10% of people infected, but recent death rates have hovered between 1% and 3.3%, according to the CDC.
U.S. officials told NBC News the government is increasing mpox surveillance efforts and ensuring widespread access to mpox tests. The FDA has approved two vaccines for the disease: Bavarian Nordic's Jynneos and Emergent BioSolutions' ACAM2000.