California mpox cases raise concerns. But health officials say the risk remains low

"Two Californians diagnosed with mpox may be the first U.S. cases resulting from the local spread of a different version of the virus, health officials said. The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services this week confirmed the first case through testing at a state lab. Los Angeles County health officials on Thursday reported a second, similar case. The risk to the public is low, officials say."

"One version of the virus called clade II was the source of an international health crisis in 2022, when infections escalated in dozens of countries, mostly among men who have sex with men. Mpox also known as monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with a virus that is in the same family as the one that causes smallpox."

Two Californians were diagnosed with mpox that may represent the first U.S. cases resulting from local spread of a different viral clade. A state laboratory confirmed the first Long Beach case, and a second similar case was identified in Los Angeles County. Both people were hospitalized and are now recovering at home. Investigations have not linked the two cases or identified a close contact with recent travel abroad. A few close contacts received vaccination. No proof of ongoing community transmission has been found, and the overall risk to the public is assessed as low. Mpox can cause fever, body aches, and skin lesions.

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