woke up to some surprising news: the United States has seen its first case of a new form of monkeypox. This variant, which first popped up in eastern Congo, has been on the radar for a while now. The infected individual had been in eastern Africa and sought treatment in Northern California after returning. Luckily, their symptoms are getting better, and experts say the risk to the public is very low.

Now, you might be wondering, what's the deal with monkeypox? It's a rare disease caused by a virus related to the smallpox virus. In Africa, people often get infected through bites from rodents or small animals. Earlier this year, researchers noticed a shift—the virus was spreading through close contact, including sex. Yeah, it's a bit different from that global outbreak in 2022 where mostly gay and bisexual men were affected.

Since late September, over 3, 100 cases have been confirmed, mainly in Burundi, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Other countries like Germany, India, Kenya, Sweden, Thailand, Zimbabwe, and the United Kingdom have also reported cases in travelers.

Health officials in Congo have said that the situation seems to be getting better. To keep it that way, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that Congo needs around 3 million monkeypox vaccines, with another 7 million needed for the rest of Africa.

This new strain of monkeypox is a reminder that viruses don't stay still. They can change and spread in new ways, making it important for us to stay alert and informed.

New Strain of Monkeypox Spreads to the US

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