Health officials are concerned as a new strain of Mpox is about to spread in the United States.
As reported byABC news, a strain of Mpox ‘Clade I’ is expected to spread in California after the first three known cases of the disease were confirmed in Los Angeles County on October 10, 2025.
The trio of the cases, reported publicly, represents the first time of this particular type Mpox "Clade 1," that had been found in the United States among people who had no history of traveling overseas to high-risk areas signalling potential local transmission.
The health officials informed that Mpox "Clade 1" is different from "Clade II," the one that spawned a global outbreak in 2022.
Medical experts at the L.A. County Department of Public Health also warns that Clade I is potentially even more concerning as it may cause more severe illness and spread more easily through close personal contact.
Mpox (previously known as Monkey pox) is a viral disease that causes blistering and rashes all over the body along with symptoms like fever and swollen lymph nodes.
The disease is spread through skin-to-skin close contact, with symptoms generally appearing about 8-9 days after exposure.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), some severely infected individuals can potentially have fatal complications too.
The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported more than 40,000 cases of Clade I in Africa.
Furthermore, travel associated cases of Clade 1 Mpox have been found in a number of other regions globally, including Asia, Australia, Europe and South America.
Previously, the first Clade 1 Mpox case was reported in the U.S. 11 months ago when a person travelled from Africa to Los Angeles got infected.
Medical professionals inform that Mpox viral disease is curable through medication and vaccination.
Health experts explains that most infected people with Mpox get better within two to four weeks but individuals with a risk of developing severe illness should consider taking antiviral treatments.