New mpox Strain Confirmed in New York

On Tuesday, the New York State Department of Health confirmed its first case of the new mpox strain, Reuters reported. The Clade lb strain also has been confirmed in California, Georgia, and New Hampshire, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). No cases have been linked.

With an upsurge of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its spread to neighboring countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern in August. This marked the second time WHO declared mpox a global public health emergency; the first declaration occurred in 2022.

Mpox is a viral disease caused by an orthopoxvirus. It spreads mainly through close contact with someone who has mpox, causing a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, and fever.  It can make people very sick and leave scars. 

The Clade Ib strain is causing outbreaks in previously unaffected areas and has spread to countries that had not previously reported mpox, WHO said.