Alarm bells are ringing in the United States with the emergence of the first case of monkeypox, specifically a more severe form of the mpox virus, as it is now called. The case was detected in California with health authorities expressing concern, as there was no recent travel history. It should be noted that the main symptom of people infected with mpox – or monkeypox as it was previously known – is the appearance of a rash on hands, feet, chest, or near the genital organs. Most patients recover within two to four weeks without special treatment. However, severe illness or even death cannot be ruled out.
Read: Alert in Gambia: Monkeypox case detected
Alert in the US: First monkeypox case detected in California
It should be emphasized that the diagnosis was confirmed in a Long Beach resident who required hospitalization, according to an official announcement. According to reports, the patient is now recovering at home. However, no further information about the patient – such as name, age, or gender – was released to the public. Although this is the seventh confirmed case of the more severe form of the virus in the US for 2025, it is the first without known travel history. Officials state that the risk to the general public is low and the health department is conducting an investigation to identify potential sources of the patient’s exposure.
Monkeypox: Two types of the mpox virus
It should be noted that there are two types of the virus that cause mpox: clade I and clade II, which means they originate from a common ancestor. Clade I has historically been associated with severe illness and death and is endemic in areas of central and western Africa, according to the CDC. Clade II caused the major outbreak that peaked in summer 2022, with over 100,000 cases in 122 countries, including more than 30,000 in the US. The less severe form of the virus in the US continues to circulate at low levels and remains relatively stable. In parts of Africa, there is ongoing human-to-human transmission of the more severe form of mpox. The six previous confirmed cases in the US involved individuals who had recently traveled to areas of central and eastern Africa, according to the CDC. In November 2024, California reported the first domestic case of the more severe form in a traveler from Africa with mild symptoms.
