All articles tagged with #monkeypox
Two NIH virologists are charged with allegedly smuggling non-infectious monkeypox samples into the United States after fieldwork in Congo, with authorities saying the samples contained MPXV DNA but were not infectious. The case has triggered political scrutiny of the Rocky Mountain Laboratories and renewed debate over import rules and lab biosecurity, as hearings are set for the involved researchers.
Two NIH scientists, Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe, are charged with conspiracy to smuggle monkeypox (mpox) into the United States after returning from Congo with undeclared tubes that later tested positive for mpox DNA; prosecutors say Munster misled border officers by claiming the case contained diagnostics gear, while experts note the inactivated samples could be diagnostic controls, and the case highlights biosafety and border-enforcement tensions in outbreak research.
Two NIH scientists at Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Montana, Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe, were charged with conspiring to smuggle deactivated mpox from the Republic of Congo into the U.S. and making false statements after authorities found 113 vials (some mpox, chickenpox, and human DNA) during a Detroit-bound shipment; the virus was reportedly deactivated. The case underscores biosafety questions at the lab, with potential penalties up to five years if convicted, and NIH stating it activated enhanced safety protocols and is cooperating with investigators.
Two NIH researchers, Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe, were charged with conspiracy to smuggle monkeypox into the United States and making false statements after arriving at Detroit from Congo with 113 vials. Federal investigators found that 17 of 20 tested vials contained deactivated monkeypox virus, one contained the chickenpox virus, and two contained human DNA, contradicting the pair’s claim that the box held diagnostics. The case, being pursued by the FBI, CBP and HHS-OIG, carries a potential maximum sentence of five years if convicted.
The NYC Health Department reports the city’s first severe mpox case, caused by clade I; the patient recently traveled abroad and there is no evidence of local transmission, with officials urging vaccination for at‑risk individuals and highlighting the two-dose JYNNEOS vaccine as protection.
New York City confirms its first case of a severe mpox strain (clade I), travel-related with no local transmission; health officials say the risk remains low and urge at-risk residents to complete the two-dose JYNNEOS vaccination series.
UK health officials are urging at-risk groups, especially men who have sex with men, to get vaccinated against mpox as cases of the 'clade Ib' strain are emerging in Spain, Italy, Portugal, and the Netherlands, with concerns about local transmission and the importance of vaccination before events like Winter Pride.
An inmate at Bexar County jail is being treated for monkeypox at a hospital, with authorities monitoring potential exposure risks; the virus is not airborne and spreads through contact with lesions.
Two Californians have been diagnosed with a new strain of mpox, potentially indicating local transmission, but the risk to the public remains low; health officials are investigating further amid concerns about community spread.
The Washington State Department of Health and the University of Washington detected the clade I mpox (monkeypox) virus in Pierce County wastewater, prompting increased testing and vigilance, though no local cases have been reported. The virus spreads through close contact, and public health officials emphasize monitoring symptoms and vaccination for high-risk groups, with the risk considered low at present.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has inexplicably reverted to using the outdated name 'monkeypox' for the disease, despite global health organizations like WHO and scientific consensus advocating for the use of 'mpox' to avoid stigmatization and reflect current understanding of the virus's hosts. The reason for this reversal remains unclear, but it appears to be a politically motivated or unproductive move.
The U.S. is reverting to the term 'monkeypox' after previously adopting 'mpox' in 2022 to reduce stigma and address animal transmission misconceptions, but experts question this reversal as it may cause confusion and appears politically motivated.
A patient in California has become the first in the US to be infected with the more deadly Clade I strain of monkeypox, which has a fatality rate of up to 10%. The patient, who recently returned from East Africa, is recovering at home in isolation. The CDC states the public risk is low as the disease spreads through direct contact. The Clade I strain is more severe than the Clade II strain, which has been circulating in the US since 2022. Efforts to control the outbreak include vaccination campaigns, particularly targeting high-risk groups.
The first U.S. case of a more severe strain of monkeypox, known as clade 1, has been confirmed in California. The patient, who recently traveled to Eastern Africa, is isolated at home with mild symptoms. Health officials, in collaboration with the CDC, are conducting contact tracing, though the public risk is considered very low. This strain, which emerged in the eastern Congo, spreads through close contact and has been reported in several countries. No deaths have been reported from this strain, and typical symptoms include fever, rash, and lesions.
Scientists have discovered a new strain of monkeypox, officially known as mpox, with "pandemic potential" in a mining town in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The mutated version, named "clade 1b", is thought to be better at spreading and has raised concerns about the potential for national and international spread. Health ministers have called for swift action to avert another global outbreak, as the virus has a history of causing mild illness but can lead to serious cases and has already resulted in deaths.