Officials confirm community spread of new Mpox strain in Southern CA, NBC says

The California Department of Public Health and local health agencies have confirmed three unrelated cases of a new Mpox strain, known as clade 1, among Southern California residents, NBC reports. None of the individuals had recently traveled internationally, leading health officials to conclude that person-to-person community transmission is now occurring within California. This marks the first time that clade 1 Mpox has been detected spreading locally in the state. Previous U.S. cases of this strain were linked to international travel in regions where clade 1 Mpox is actively circulating, the publication adds.