Long Beach health officials Wednesday were continuing to investigate the infection of a resident with a more severe strain of mpox — the first known case of the disease in the country involving a patient without any history of travel.
The unidentified patient is the first person confirmed in Long Beach to have acquired clade I mpox, and only the seventh person nationally. The person was hospitalized but is now isolating and recovering at home, according to the city Department of Health and Human Services.
Clade I mpox is a more serious strain of mpox that clade II, which led to a 2022-23 mpox outbreak in the United States. Clade I generally causes more severe illness. Symptoms can include rash or lesions, fever, chills, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes and body aches.
“While the overall risk of mpox clade I exposure to the public remains low, we are taking this very seriously and ensuring our community and health care partners remain vigilant so we can prevent any more cases,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. “This underscores the importance of continued surveillance, early response and vaccination.”
Clade I mpox has been primarily found in Central and Eastern Africa.
Mpox can spread through direct contact with infectious sores or body fluids, sexual or intimate contact, and touching contaminated items such as bedding or clothes. Most people recover within 2-4 weeks, but antiviral treatments may be considered for individuals with or at risk of developing severe illness, health officials said.
Despite the low risk of infection, health officials recommended vaccines for people who may be at increased risk, such as people who are gay or bisexual, men who have sex with men, transgender and non-binary people, people who are immunocompromised, someone who was exposed to a person with mpox, those with occupational exposure, and people planning to travel to areas with ongoing mpox outbreaks.