Deadly monkeypox strain kills an alarming 1 in 10 people, CDC warns

A deadly, fast-spreading strain of the monkeypox virus has the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on high alert.

The variant of the virus, which causes the severe disease known as mpox, kills up to 10% of the people who are infected, according to the World Health Organization.

“The virus variant is known to be more virulent. If it adapts better to human-to-human transmission, that presents a risk,” Rosamund Lewis of the WHO’s mpox surveillance team told Reuters.

Last year, a less-deadly variant of the monkeypox virus known as Clade II spread worldwide (a clade is a genetic subtype of virus). More than 31,000 Americans were diagnosed with mpox during last year’s outbreak, and 55 died.

But now, the rapid spread of the deadlier Clade I subtype of the virus has been reported by health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the disease has spread to 22 of the DRC’s 26 provinces.

So far, there are no reported cases of the Clade I monkeypox virus in the US, but the CDC is warning doctors to be on the lookout for any symptoms of the disease, which can spread through sexual or household contact, or in health care settings where bodily fluids are present.

What is monkeypox?

Mpox is a disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which is spread through close, physical contact between people, according to the New York State Department of Health.

The infection doesn’t usually cause serious illness, but it can be very painful and in some cases will result in hospitalization or death. In addition to humans, squirrels, rats, monkeys and other primates, prairie dogs, hedgehogs, pigs and mice may carry the virus.

The symptoms of mpox can include rashes, bumps, or blisters on or around the genitals or in other areas like your hands, feet, chest or face.

An mpox infection can also cause flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, chills and fatigue. These symptoms may occur before or after the rash appears, or not at all.

Mpox vaccine

There’s a safe and effective vaccine available, but the CDC warns that vaccination coverage in the US is low: Only one in four people who are eligible to get the vaccine have received both of the two doses required for full protection.

Since January of this year, DRC has reported more than 12,500 mpox cases and nearly 600 suspected deaths from the virus, CNN reports.

The CDC is warning doctors to consider mpox when evaluating the cause of rashes. The disease can affect anyone, though sexual contact — especially among men who have sex with men — has been cited as the most common way of spreading mpox.

Severe cases and death can occur, with young children and people with weak immune systems more at risk of severe disease.