Third mpox diagnosis in U.S. found in N.H. by health departments

A man from New Hampshire was identified with having mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, after traveling, according to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.

The man, from Merrimack County recently traveled to Eastern Africa where there is an ongoing outbreak of a strain of mpox called clade I and is self-isolating and recovering at home.

“The individual’s illness poses no current risk to the public,” the DHHS said in a statement.

There is no evidence that mpox is spreading from person to person in New Hampshire or within the United States, the DHHS said. This is the first clade l mpox diagnosis in the state and the third mpox diagnosis in the United States.

The DHHS is conducting a disease investigation to identify anyone who may have been in close contact with the person and there have been no public locations identified where exposure might have occurred, the release states.

“The mpox virus is spread primarily through direct physical contact with someone who has mpox and has developed an infectious skin rash,” New Hampshire Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said in the release. “Public Health is working to identify and notify people who had close contact with the individual, so we can connect them with preventive vaccination and help them to monitor for symptoms of mpox.”

Mpox is a disease caused by two different genetic types of mpox virus called clade l and clade ll. Clade ll mpox has continued to circulate at low levels in the United States since the widespread outbreak occurred in 2022, the statement reads. More recently, clade l mpox has been causing outbreaks in Central and Eastern Africa. Both types of the virus spread primarily through direct contact with a symptomatic person with mpox or through contact with used items contaminated with the mpox virus. The mpox virus is not spread through the air.

People with mpox develop an infectious rash that changes over time as a person’s illness progresses. The rash can look like pimples or blisters that are painful or itchy, the DHHS said in the statement. Over time, the rash can spread and then slowly the skin lesions develop a scab or crust before going away over several weeks.

Other symptoms people can develop include fever, chills, headache, exhaustion, muscle aches, sore throat or swollen lymph nodes.

A person with mpox can spread the virus starting when they first develop symptoms. They can remain contagious until their rash fully heals and a fresh layer of skin has formed.

“If you are traveling to Central or Eastern Africa or if you believe you might have a risk factor for mpox, talk to your healthcare provider about whether the JYNNEOS vaccine is recommended for you,” the DHHS said in the release.

Those who have questions about mpox can contact New Hampshire’s Division of Public Health Services at 603-271-4496. Further details about mpox can be found here.