Mpox Caused by Human-to-Human Transmission of Monkeypox Virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo with Spread to Neighboring Countries

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• CDC issued a Health Update through the CDC Health Alert Network to provide additional details to clinicians and health departments about the ongoing outbreak of mpox caused by Clade I Monkeypox virus (MPXV) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and additional spread of Clade I mpox to neighboring central and eastern African countries. The CDC Health Update is attached to this message.
• MPXV has two distinct clades, and cases of Clade I have not been reported in the United States at this time. Clade I MPXV has previously been observed to be more transmissible and to cause more severe infections than Clade II.
• Due to the limited number of travelers and lack of direct commercial flights from DRC or its neighboring countries, the risk of clade I mpox importation to the United States is considered low, however clinicians should be aware of the possibility of Clade I MPXV in travelers who have recently been in DRC or a country sharing a border with DRC and who have clinical signs consistent with mpox.
• Please see the attached CDC Health Update and NJDOH LINCS message for additional important information.

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This information has been broadcast to: Community Health Centers(FQHCs); Emergency Medical Services / First Responders; County OEM; EMS; Fire; Local OEM; Police; Health Care Facilities/Other; Adult Day Health Care Services; LTC/Assisted Living; Rehabilitation; Surgical Centers; Health Care Providers; Dental; Dialysis; Hospice/Palliative care; ICP; Internal Medicine; Medical Specialty; OBGYN; Pediatric; Primary Care Physicians ; Urgent Care; Hospitals/Acute Care; Hospital Emergency Dept; Hospital Medical Directors; Hospital Nursing Directors; Hospitals/Other; Hospitals/Veterans; Labs/Non-Sentinel; Labs/Sentinel; Local Boards of Health; Communicable Disease; County LINCS; Virtua CNS;