City health officials are urging those at high risk of contracting the virus to get vaccinated
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NEED TO KNOW
- A New York City resident was diagnosed with clade I mpox after recent travel to Europe
- The NYC Health Department is advising those who are at risk of contracting the virus to complete the two-dose JYNNEOS vaccine series
- Clade I mpox is severe but the risk to the public remains low, according to health officials
The New York City Health Department issued an advisory warning that a resident with recent travel to Europe had been diagnosed with clade I mpox, a severe strain of the virus known colloquially as monkeypox.
"The person was symptomatic, has received appropriate medical care, and has been isolating until full resolution of symptoms," the March 13 advisory stated. "This is the twelfth known clade I mpox case identified in the United States. At present, the risk of clade I mpox to the public is low."
“There is no known local transmission of mpox clade I in New York City and the risk remains low for New Yorkers,” NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin said in a statement. “The NYC Health Department recommends that New Yorkers who are at risk for mpox receive and complete the two-dose vaccine series that works to prevent mpox.”
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The JYNNEOS vaccine is a two-dose shot that can minimize symptoms, and, per the NYC health department, is advised for men who have sex with men, and "identify as male, trans, nonbinary, genderqueer or gender non-conforming," or are planning to visit a country where the virus is spreading.
"Historically, clade I … was reported to have a much higher case-fatality rate than clade II," the U.S. Centers for Disease Control explains, adding that supportive care can reduce the risk of death in those who contract either strain of the virus.
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Initial symptoms of mpox, per the CDC, are flu-like, marked by fever, malaise, headache, sore throat, cough, and swollen lymph nodes. Those infected develop lesions in their genital, anal, or oral areas, which eventually scab over and may scar.
The virus is spread via direct contact with bodily fluids, including saliva, from someone who has the virus, or by sharing bedding or clothing, although health officials say that's less common.
There have been 45 total cases of mpox confirmed so far in NYC, health officials said.
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