California Confirms First Case of Deadlier Mpox Strain

metroweekly.com:

more lethal than its sister strain, clade II, with the death rate ranging from 1.4% to 10%. In August, the World Health Organization declared the rapid spread of the clade I strain in some African countries a “public health emergency of international concern,” which is the highest alarm level under international law.Health officials called for an international response to curb the virus’s spread.The clade II strain of the virus was responsible for the 2022 epidemic that rapidly spread across the globe, primarily through men who have sex with men and their subsequent sexual contacts.In total, about 100,000 people were infected, with 200 dying from the disease.

That virus’s death rate generally results in death in a mere 0.1% to 3.6% of cases.Occasional outbreaks of clade II infections remain ongoing, with occasional spikes in infections in some states, especially those where people remain unvaccinated.However, the rate of spread for clade II infections has backed off, primarily through abstinence and choices to reduce the number of sexual contacts.According to the CDC, those infected with mpox should avoid close contact with others to avoid spreading the infection.

People should avoid contact with contaminated materials, such as clothing, bedding, toothbrushes, sex toys, or materials used in healthcare settings.People should clean and disinfect shared areas of the home and notify any past sexual partners of past exposure, should wash their hands often, and use protective gear, like masks, gowns, and gloves, to protect against infection.People can also protect themselves by getting vaccinated with two doses of the orthopoxvirus vaccine, which protects against mpox, and avoiding intimate contact with others for 21 days to.