Mpox

July 23 (UPI) — Arizona health officials have confirmed the state’s first infection of an mpox strain responsible for a global outbreak, identifying the case as having been infected while traveling outside the United States.

The Arizona Department of Health and Services said in a statement Wednesday that it has confirmed its first case of Clade I mpox, involving a person with recent international travel.

“ADHS and local public health officials are working to prevent additional infections through monitoring and follow-ups with people who may have been exposed,” the state health agency said.

“There is currently no evidence of local transmission connected to this case.”

Little information about the patient was made public. The ADHS said it was notified of a confirmed travel-associated case of the mpox strain this month.

It is the state’s 34th case of the disease this year, with all but the most recent patient having contracted Clade II mpox.

Mpox is an infection caused by the monkeypox virus, which is spread through physical contact, including direct skin-to-skin contact and sharing of personal items, including bedding, towels and clothing, the ADHS said.

The virus has two main clades: Clade I, which is endemic to Central Africa, and Clade II, which is associated with West Africa.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Clade I was historically reported to have a much higher case-fatality rate than Clade II, though recent data suggest case-fatality rates for both clades are low, especially when medical care is provided.

Clade II is the cause of the ongoing mpox outbreak that began in 2022, infecting more than 114,000 people worldwide, including about 37,500 people infected in the United States, CDC statistics show. ADHS statistics show Arizona had 582 mpox infections in 2022, followed by 20 in 2023, 66 in 2024 and 17 last year.

Clade I is also responsible for an ongoing mpox outbreak that began in Central Africa in late 2023, and which has since spread internationally, resulting in more than 55,000 confirmed cases, including more than 150 deaths, since January 2024, the CDC said.

The United States reported between 1,700 and 2,800 mpox cases a year from 2023 through 2025, though nearly all have been Clade II.

The CDC said Clade I cases have increased in frequency in the country since March, with more than 20 cases reported in the United States as of June.

21 cases of the viral disease have been confirmed in the UK

People that are eligible for the Mpox vaccine in Northern Ireland are being urged to step forward before the summer holidays as 21 cases of the viral disease, formerly known as monkeypox, have been confirmed by the Public Health Agency in the last three weeks.

This is a significant rise as, according to the BBC, only nine cases of Mpox had been reported in Northern Ireland since 2023. The Public Health Agency is asking people to learn the symptoms, be vigilant about the signs and get vaccinated but not everyone will be eligible for the vaccine.

The main symptoms the Public Health Agency is urging people to keep an eye out for include rashes with blisters, aches, fever and swollen glands that can last for up to three weeks.

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According to the NHS, the first symptoms of mpox include:

• a high temperature, or feeling hot, cold or shivery
• a headache
• muscle aches
• backache
• swollen glands
• shivering (chills)
• exhaustion
• joint pain

The telltale sign of mpox is a distinctive rash which usually appears one to five days after the other symptoms. It can appear on any part of the body including the hands, soles of the feet, mouth or genitals.

The rash is sometimes mistaken for chickenpox. It starts with small raised spots that turn into ulcers or small blisters filled with fluid, the blister eventually forms a scab that later falls off.

Dr Rachel Coyle, Consultant in Health Protection at the PHA, said: “We want to remind those who are eligible to get vaccinated. Vaccination is available for those eligible in Northern Ireland through sexual health clinics, also known as genitourinary medicine or GUM clinics.

“While anyone can catch mpox, the majority of mpox cases in the UK are in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM).

“Therefore, those eligible for the vaccine include gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men who have multiple sexual partners, and those who participate in group sex or attend sex on premises venues. Staff who work in these premises are also eligible.

“If you think you may be eligible and have not yet received your first dose or completed the course of two vaccines, contact your local GUM clinic and enquire about getting the vaccine.”

Mpox is passed from one person to another through any close physical contact with mpox rash, blisters or scabs. This can include during sexual contact or other skin-to-skin contact.

It can also be passed through contaminated surfaces like bedding or towels and through the coughs and sneezes of a person that has mpox if they are close enough to you.

Mpox is usually mild and can get better in a few weeks even without treatment. However, while you have symptoms you can pass on the virus to other people and some may be more vulnerable to more severe symptoms. This includes older people, young children and anyone taking medication that affects their immune system.