New mpox strain may spread in LA County; A third case was confirmed

Officials are concerned that a potentially more severe strain of ampox is starting to spread locally after a third case was confirmed in Los Angeles County on Friday.

The trio of cases, all reported publicly this week, represent the first time this particular type of Eppox, known as “Clade I,” has been found in the United States among people with no history of overseas travel to high-risk areas.

The first case, reported publicly on Tuesday, involved a Long Beach resident. The second and third cases, reported Thursday and Friday, occurred among other Los Angeles County residents. All three patients were hospitalized but are now recovering at home.

“At this time, no clear link between the cases has been identified,” the LA County Department of Public Health said.

However, “the confirmation of a third case with no travel history raises concerns about a possible local outbreak in Los Angeles County,” Dr. Monte Davis, LA County Health Director, said in a statement. “We are working closely with our partners to identify potential sources and understand how this potentially more serious form of the poxvirus is spreading.”

“While the overall risk of exposure to the general public is low, we take it very seriously,” Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. “This highlights the importance of continued surveillance, early response and vaccination.”

This type of mpox is different from the one that caused the global pandemic in 2022, which is known as “Clade II”.

Clade I is potentially even more worrisome, however, because it may cause more severe disease and is spread more easily, “including through close personal contact,” such as massage or cuddling, in addition to sex, the LA County Department of Public Health said.

The California Department of Public Health said last year that clade I has historically caused more serious disease than clade II, but added that “recent Clade I mpox infections may not be as clinically serious as past outbreaks, especially when cases have access to quality medical care.”

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is primarily spread through close, intimate contact, such as through bodily fluids, wounds, shared bedding or shared clothing, as well as through kissing, coughing, and sneezing.

The California Department of Public Health said: “Normal contact, such as when someone is on an airplane, in an office or in a store, is not likely to spread ampox.”

Symptoms include “a rash or unusual sores on the face, body and genitals, a rash or stuffy nose, fever, chills, headache, muscle aches or swollen lymph nodes,” the LA County Department of Public Health said. Other symptoms may include a sore throat.

“Anyone who develops an unexplained rash or sore should avoid sexual or intimate contact and seek immediate medical evaluation,” the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services said.

Officials said people should be tested if they have symptoms. Those with symptoms should also avoid sex or close contact.

Clade II mpox generally causes mild to moderate disease and is expected to have a low prevalence in the United States as of 2022, according to the La County Department of Public Health.

So far this year, 118 cases of Clade II mpox have been reported to the LA County Department of Public Health.

Before this week, there were a total of six cases of Clade I mpox in the United States — all among people who had recently traveled to areas where this type of mpox is prevalent, such as Central and East Africa. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, none of these cases are related.

The CDC says there are more than 40,000,000 cases of Clade I mpox in Central and East Africa.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of the countries with confirmed cases, multiple modes of Clade I mpox transmission have been documented, including “contact with infected dead or live wild animals” and “domestic contact, often involving crowded households,” in addition to sexual contact, according to the CDC.

These countries in Central and East Africa have reported cases of Clade I mpox since 2024.

(US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

The CDC says the risk to the general U.S. population from Clade I mpox in the United States is considered “low.” The agency classifies the risk for gay and bisexual men who have sex with more than one partner as “low to moderate.”

Travel-related cases of Claudius I mpox have also been found in several other regions worldwide, including Asia, Australia, Europe, and South America.

The first case of Clyde I mpox in the United States was reported 11 months ago — in California by a person who had traveled to Africa and received care in San Mateo County, according to the CDC and the California Department of Public Health. The man had a mild illness, the San Mateo County Health Department said at the time.

Most people who are infected get better within two to four weeks, the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services said, “but antiviral therapy may be considered for individuals who have or are at risk of severe illness.”

A two-dose Jynneos vaccine is also available to help prevent the spread of mpox.

Those who received only one dose can receive their second dose “regardless of how long it has been since the first dose,” the La County Department of Public Health said.

Vaccines are widely available, and can be found at pharmacies such as Walgreens and CVS. People can find places to get vaccinated through the vaccine manufacturer, Bavarian Nordic. The LA County Department of Public Health also maintains a list of vaccination sites.

The vaccine is available for people at high risk for the disease, including those who have been exposed to an infected person in the past two weeks.

Also eligible for vaccination are gay and bisexual people and other men who have sex with men; transgender, non-binary or gender diverse people; People with HIV; People who are eligible or taking medication to prevent HIV from having sex or injecting drug use; People traveling to sub-Saharan Africa or areas with Claud I mpox disease; People who plan to attend a commercial sex event or venue, such as a sex club or bathhouse; People who have sexual partners have a higher risk of infection; And anyone else asking for the mpox vaccine.

Officials recommend that people at occupational risk for infection, such as some laboratory workers, also get vaccinated.