Trending Now - Severe Mpox Case Confirmed in New York City

WHO:

Dr. Nicole Saphier, Fox News senior medical analyst

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst

Dr. Alister Martin, NYC Health Commissioner

NYC Health Department

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

WHAT:

The first case of severe mpox (formerly monkeypox) has been identified in New York City.

The patient tested positive for mpox clade I, which is known to cause more severe symptoms and can be life-threatening.

The NYC Health Department issued an advisory regarding the case.

The clade I strain is believed to be more transmissible and cause more severe illness than clade II.

Nearly 4,000 cases of mpox were reported in New York City in 2022.

The NYC Health Department recommends that at-risk New Yorkers receive and complete the two-dose JYNNEOS vaccine series.

WHERE:

New York City, New York

WHEN:

The advisory was issued on March 16th, 2026.

The clade I strain was responsible for the 2024 outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Africa.

WHY:

The case is travel-related, with the patient having recently traveled internationally.

There is no known local transmission of mpox clade I in New York City, and the risk remains low for local residents.

HOW:

Mpox spreads via direct contact, sexual contact, kissing, and close respiratory droplets.

Vaccination is recommended for men who are gay, bisexual, or have sex with men, age 18 or older, and those planning to travel to areas where clade I mpox is spreading.

Symptoms of mpox include a painful, blistery rash, fever, chills, exhaustion, muscle aches, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and respiratory symptoms, typically emerging one to three weeks after exposure.

(UPDATED March 16, 2026 21:11 UTC)

Today, the NYC Health Department issued an advisory after identifying the first case of severe mpox in New York City, with the patient testing positive for the more dangerous clade I strain. This strain, known for causing severe symptoms and being more transmissible, is linked to a recent international travel history, although there is currently no local transmission in the city. Health officials recommend that at-risk individuals, particularly men who are gay or bisexual, receive the two-dose JYNNEOS vaccine series to protect against this virus.