The first severe case of mpox clade I identified in the New York City health advisory
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The first case of severe mpox (formerly monkeypox) has been identified in New York City, according to an advisory issued by the NYC Department of Health.
One resident tested positive for mpox clade I, one of the two major genetic groups (clades) of the mpox virus, which causes the disease.
“Clade I causes more severe symptoms and can be life-threatening,” Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News, told Fox News Digital. “It spreads through direct contact or sex, and kissing, and close respiratory droplets, but not over long distances through respiratory spread.”
MPOX STRAIN CONTINUES TO US WITHOUT INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL, RAISING WIDE FEAR
Clade II was the strain that caused the global outbreak in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Survival rates for this breed are over 99.9%.
Clade I, which caused the 2024 outbreak in the DRC and Africa, is known to cause severe morbidity and mortality.
The first case of severe mpox (formerly monkeypox) has been identified in New York City, according to an advisory issued by the NYC Department of Health. (Stock)
The patient from New York City had just flown out of the country, counselors said. “This seems to have come here from travel and is not spreading locally,” Siegel noted.
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There is no known local transmission of mpox clade I in New York City and the risk remains low for local residents, according to NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alistair Martin.
“The NYC Department of Health recommends that New Yorkers who are at risk for mpox receive and complete the two-dose series of vaccines that protect against mpox,” he said in a statement.
There is no known local transmission of mpox clade I in New York City and the risk remains low for local residents, according to the NYC health commissioner. (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration)
To help prevent infection, the CDC recommends vaccination for men who are gay, bisexual or have sex with men, who are 18 or older, and who have certain other risks. Those planning to travel to areas where clade I mpox is prevalent should also seek the vaccine.
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People who may have been in close contact with an infected person should receive the vaccine within 14 days.
As with other viral infections, those who are immunocompromised or very young are at greater risk of severe infection.
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Vaccination can help reduce the chance of infection and make symptoms less severe, according to experts. The two-dose JYNNEOS vaccine is the most common form of protection. People with chicken pox do not need to be vaccinated.
In rare cases, mpox can lead to eye infections, severe rashes, painful skin sores and nerve problems. (Stock)
Mpox symptoms include a sometimes painful, blistering rash on various parts of the body, fever, chills, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, swollen lymph nodes and respiratory symptoms, according to the CDC. These symptoms usually appear one to three weeks after exposure.
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In rare cases, mpox can lead to eye infections, severe rashes, painful skin sores and nerve problems.
Treatment for mpox involves supportive care to control symptoms. In severe cases, patients can receive TPOXX (tecovirimat), an antiviral medication used to treat smallpox-related viral infections, including mpox, Siegel noted.
