The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department on Friday announced that a type of mpox virus had been detected in Pierce County wastewater sampling.
Washington State Department of Health and the University of Washington recently detected clade I mpox virus (also known as monkeypox virus) in the wastewater.
“After consultation with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is working with DOH to increase wastewater testing to monitor the situation,” the health department said in Friday’s release.
“At this time, no patients with clade I mpox have been reported in Pierce County,” it added.
Two types of virus cause mpox: clade I and clade II, and according to TPCHD, “The vast majority of mpox cases in the United States have been caused by clade II mpox.”
According to CDC, six cases of clade I mpox have been reported in the United States in people who had recently traveled to countries with ongoing outbreaks. There has not been sustained transmission of clade I mpox reported in the U.S.
TPCHD noted that since the detection came from wastewater details are unknown about the the identity or travel history of anyone with clade 1 mpox in Pierce County.
“This is a rare occurrence, and also a great example of how public health keeps a close eye on disease spread to assess risk and inform the community when needed,” said Dr. James Miller, health officer for TPCHD, in a statement.
The mpox virus typically spreads during close physical contact, including through sexual contact, day-to-day household contact, and within healthcare settings in the absence of personal protective equipment.
Symptoms of infection include a rash ”that looks like bumps, blisters or ulcers,” TPCHD noted
Most patients recover in 2–4 weeks, but infection can be serious, particularly for children and people who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems.
A vaccine is available for people at higher risk of contracting mpox. More information is available at TPCHD’s website, or contact your healthcare provider.