The New York State Department of Health issued a health advisory Wednesday about the emergence of a new strain of mpox (formerly monkeypox).
The first case of mpox clade Ib in New York State was confirmed in a symptomatic individual who had recently traveled from Africa.
The present risk to the public remains low, the department noted, and there are no additional known community cases of this strain in New York State currently.
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State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald shared that the infected individual is under the care of a physician and isolated “until the full resolution of symptoms.”
“There is no known local transmission of mpox clade Ib in the community where the individual lives or anywhere within New York State,” he said in a statement.
McDonald added that the JYNNEOS vaccine, which is a two-dose preventative vaccine series for mpox, is “expected to be effective” against this new strain.
“[It is] available for individuals at risk with the standing order I signed last year,” he noted. “There is no immediate risk to the general public.”
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The health department added in its advisory that individuals should inquire with their local pharmacy or healthcare provider about vaccine availability as they continue to “monitor and maintain the situation.”
Mpox is “rarely fatal,” according to the department, but can be dangerous for people with immunocompromising conditions, as well as older adults, young children and pregnant women.
Symptoms can include rashes that progress to “painful skin lesions,” in addition to swollen lymph nodes, fever, sore throat, headaches, back pain, low energy and muscle aches, the department listed.
There is a “high likelihood of transmission” until these lesions scab over, which means infected individuals are encouraged to isolate until new skin forms at the lesion site.
“There is no immediate risk to the general public.”
Mpox can spread through close, intimate contact with sores, scabs or rashes, the department stated, as well as through the respiratory droplets, saliva or mucus of an infected person.
Those who plan to travel to areas with reported cases of mpox should consider being vaccinated with the two doses of JYNNEOS, experts recommend.
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Dr. Myles Druckman, global medical director at International SOS in California, told Fox News Digital that there have been reports of this strain in several countries in Central and Eastern Africa.
“We’re finding that other countries have also reported travel-associated cases of clade I, including Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Oman, Pakistan, South Sudan, Sweden, Thailand, the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe,” he noted.
“Cases of this strain are expected due to the ongoing outbreak in multiple countries and the risks associated with global travel.”
“It’s important to recognize that cases of this strain are expected due to the ongoing outbreak in multiple countries and the risks associated with global travel.”
Mpox can be infectious for up to four days before symptoms occur, but it is most contagious from the time symptoms appear until about two to four weeks later, according to Druckman.
The expert emphasized that vaccination is recommended for high-risk individuals, such as healthcare workers with high exposure or people with weakened immune systems.
“Prevention of mpox is mainly through vaccination and avoiding skin-to-skin contact with others – especially those with symptoms or visible outbreaks – and observing good personal hygiene and washing hands well and frequently,” he added.
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