A case of Clade 1b mpox has been recorded in the US for the first time, health officials have said.
It was detected in northern California after a person returned from eastern Africa, the California Department of Public Health said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was the first case of Clade 1b mpox recorded in the US.
California’s health department said the individual was isolating at home, that their symptoms are improving, and the risk to the public is low.
The Clade 1b strain of mpox was discovered by scientists earlier this year, who traced it to a Congolese mining town. They said it may cause milder symptoms but spreads more easily through close contact.
As of 4 November, the UK has recorded three cases of Clade 1b. The first case – detected in London in October – was a person who had been on holiday in Africa.
They developed flu-like symptoms more than 24 hours after returning to the UK and later developed a rash which worsened in the following days. The other two cases were household contacts of the first.
Mpox, including the Clade 1b strain, is usually passed on by close physical contact, contact with infected animals or sexual transmission.
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Common symptoms of the disease include a skin rash or pus-filled lesions, which can last between two to four weeks.
It can also cause fever, headaches, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.
Since late September, the World Health Organisation said more than 3,1000 confirmed cases of Clade 1b mpox have been reported.
