USA reports first case of new Mpox variant first seen in Congo

The USA's first case of a new variant of Mpox has been reported. The variant, first seen in eastern Congo, was seen in a person who had travelled to eastern Africa. They were then treated in California on their return, according to the local public health officials.

They reported that the patient's symptoms were improving and the risk to the public or any tourists is low.

READ MORE: Another case of deadly strain of mpox virus found in London

Mpox is a rare disease caused by infection with a virus that’s in the same family as the one that causes smallpox. It is endemic in parts of Africa, where people have been infected through bites from rodents or small animals. Some cases have been reported in the UK.

Earlier this year, scientists reported the emergence of a new form of Mpox in Africa that was spread through close contact including through sex.

More than 3,100 confirmed cases have been reported just since late September, according to the World Health Organization. The vast majority of them have been in three African countries — Burundi, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Since then, cases of travelers with the new Mpox form have been reported in Germany, India, Kenya, Sweden, Thailand, Zimbabwe, and the United Kingdom.

Health officials earlier this month said the situation in Congo appears to be stabilizing. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated Congo needs at least 3 million mpox vaccines to stop the spread, and another 7 million vaccines for the rest of Africa.

The current outbreak is different from the 2022 global outbreak of mpox where gay and bisexual men made up the vast majority of cases.