US public health officials vigilant as newer mpox variant detected

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US Public Health Officials on High Alert as New Mpox Variant Spreads in Communities

The US public health community is becoming increasingly vigilant as reports of a new, more contagious variant of the mpox virus begin to surface. The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that several European countries are experiencing community transmission of the new variant, with Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and Portugal among those affected.

California has also announced three cases of the new variant, known as clade Ib, which is being spread through undetected local transmission. While the risk to the general public remains low, officials are sounding the alarm as community cases signal greater challenges in detecting and containing outbreaks.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported six cases of the new variant among travelers returning from international destinations, but it is the first sign of community spread. The WHO has reported over 44,000 cases of mpox so far this year, a significant increase from the total number of cases in 2024.

Experts warn that vaccination may complicate efforts to track and contain the outbreak. While vaccines have been effective in preventing infection, they also create less severe disease, which can make it harder for researchers and officials to detect cases.

"We're not just looking at people who come into hospitals seeking care," says Miguel Paredes, a genomic epidemiologist at the University of Washington. "We need to be proactive about finding and monitoring cases, especially in communities where mpox may be spreading undetected."

Wastewater sampling is one relatively inexpensive and unobtrusive method that researchers and officials are exploring as a way to monitor spread. The virus can be detected in wastewater, providing an early warning system for potential outbreaks.

The new variant has infected men and women of all ages, but the majority of cases have been among individuals with multiple sexual partners. This suggests that dense social networks, particularly those involving gay and bisexual men and other vulnerable populations, may be playing a significant role in the spread of the virus.

While vaccination remains crucial in preventing infection, officials are also emphasizing the importance of addressing underlying social determinants of health. Communities affected by mpox need to come together to provide testing, vaccines, and support services, with a focus on reducing stigma and increasing access to care.

In 2022, organizations and members of the queer community played a critical role in fighting the outbreak, working with officials to provide testing and vaccines at social gatherings. This kind of grassroots effort may be necessary again as the new variant spreads in communities across the US.
 
🤔 I'm so sick of these health updates 🤕. First it's COVID, now mpox... can't we just focus on one thing for once? 😩 I mean, I get it, viruses are a concern, but can't they just make something easier to track? Like, why do we need wastewater sampling? 🚽 It sounds like such a hassle. And what's with the vaccines? They're not even making things worse, right? Just harder for them to detect cases... that doesn't help anyone. 😒 I wish someone would just explain it in a simple way so we can all understand what's going on. This genomic epidemiology stuff is just confusing 🤯. And the fact that it's spreading in communities... that's just scary 💔. We need more than just warnings, we need action.
 
OMG, have you heard about the new mpox variant? 🤢 It's like, super contagious and stuff! I was reading this article and it said that even though vaccination is really good at preventing infection, it can actually make it harder to detect cases because people don't get as sick 😴. And now they're worried because it's spreading in communities and not just in hospitals or something.

I'm like, totally freaked out 🤯. I was thinking about how we deal with stuff like this at school when it comes to outbreaks and stuff. We have protocols in place for sure, but what if the virus is more contagious than that? And what if it's not just affecting our students, but also our community?

I guess it makes sense why experts are stressing the importance of testing and vaccines, especially for people who are part of those social networks where the virus is spreading. But at the same time, they're saying we need to address those underlying social issues that make people more susceptible to getting sick in the first place. Like, isn't that what we do when there's an outbreak in school? We get everyone tested and vaccinated, but also try to figure out why it happened in the first place 🤔.

And can we talk about how cool it is that some of those same groups who came together to fight mpox in 2022 might be needed again for this new variant? I mean, that's what community comes down to, right? Looking out for each other and working together to stay healthy 💪.
 
🤒 Just got word that mpox is back and I'm getting a bit anxious 🚨! The fact that it's spreading like wildfire, especially among gay and bisexual men, makes me think we need to beef up our testing and vaccination efforts ⚕️. But at the same time, I'm all for those community-driven initiatives from 2022 - who knew social gatherings could be a superhighway for disease spread? 🤯 Wastewater sampling is a cool idea too... now if only they made it more accessible to everyone 💧. And can we talk about how important it is to address the underlying social determinants of health here? It's not just about throwing vaccines at the problem, we need to tackle those systemic issues head-on 🌈.
 
I'm getting a bit worried about this mpox thing 🤕. I mean, it's not like it's going to spread like wildfire or anything, but still... six cases already? That's more than I'd care for. And now they're saying clade Ib is spreading through local transmission in Cali? Not cool. Experts are right though, vaccination might make it harder to track who's got the virus and who doesn't. We need to be proactive about this. Sampling wastewater sounds like a good idea, at least that way we can catch it early. And yeah, let's not forget about those communities that are most affected... gotta look out for each other there 😊
 
🚨💉 so worried about this mpox variant! i mean, 44k cases already this year is crazy 🤯 and now it's spreading locally in cali 🌴 what's worrying me most is that vaccination might actually make it harder to track cases 🎯 like, if people are less sick but still getting infected how are we supposed to know when an outbreak is happening? 🚨 also, the fact that it's mainly affecting guys with multiple partners is pretty concerning 😕 need more support and resources for the community, esp those who were already hit hard by mpox in 2022 💖 we can't rely on just vaccines anymore, we need to get creative 🤔 like wastewater sampling or community outreach initiatives 👍
 
I'm getting worried about this new mpox variant 🤕. I mean, I know we're all vaccinated and all that, but still... it's a different story when you've got a more contagious one running around. And wastewater sampling? That sounds like a legit way to keep track of it, though. We need to make sure those communities get the support they need, 'specially with this one being spread through social networks. Can't just rely on hospitals, we gotta be proactive and help each other out 🤝
 
🤦‍♂️ I mean, come on... another virus outbreak? Can't we just have a break from all this for once? 😴 But seriously, I guess it's good that they're sounding the alarm now, especially with the new variant spreading in communities. It's not like we didn't see this coming - mpox has been around for ages and we've only recently started to get really serious about it. 💉

I do think it's a bit concerning that vaccination might make it harder to track cases, though. I mean, if people are getting vaccinated but still getting infected (which is kinda the point of vaccines, right?), how are we supposed to know when an outbreak is happening? 🤔 And yeah, wastewater sampling sounds like a pretty cool way to monitor things, but isn't that just, like, basic science stuff or something? 😒

It's also interesting that they're emphasizing the importance of addressing social determinants of health. I mean, we all know that mpox is going to spread in communities with dense networks and vulnerable populations - it's not exactly rocket science. 💡 But hey, at least people are talking about it now. Maybe we can finally get some progress on this instead of just complaining online like us usual tech-obsessed folks 😂
 
This mpox thing is getting crazy 🤯! They need to step up their game ASAP because this new variant is spreading fast 💨. Vaccination helps, don't get me wrong, but we can't ignore the social stuff either 🤝. Like, how many people even know they've got a cluster of cases in their community? We need more awareness and testing, stat! 💪 #mpoxvirus #communityhealth #publicawareness
 
🤔 gotta say, the mpox virus is just another reminder that our bodies aren't doing us any favors 🤷‍♀️ we're all just like, trying to stay healthy and stuff, but sometimes these viruses come along and are like "nah, i got this" 🚫. and don't even get me started on the whole vaccination thing - it's like, yeah vaccine is good and all, but what about those who can't get vaccinated? aren't they basically just sitting ducks waiting for this virus to take them down? 💉 anyway, back to the new variant... i guess it's good that wastewater sampling is being looked at as a way to track spread, but isn't that kinda like trying to herd cats or something? 🐈
 
mpox is a major problem 🤢 and we need to take it seriously. those who think it's just about gay men are wrong - community spread can happen anywhere, but certain groups like that one are definitely more vulnerable 😔. vaccination is key, but we also need to work on reducing stigma and getting more testing in these communities 👥. wastewater sampling is a good idea, but it's not a substitute for actual contact tracing 🤝. let's hope we can get this under control before it's too late ⏰
 
I'm not saying it's a bad idea for people to get tested if they've been exposed or have symptoms 🤕. We gotta be real, the mpox thing is kinda like when you're on social media and someone says you did something, but then you know they're just trying to get likes 😂. The new variant being more contagious doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing - some people might actually think it's good that we have new vaccines, right? 💉 And what about the wastewater sampling? That's like the internet of things for mpox... it's not all bad! 🚽
 
OMG 🤯 I remember when we used to think mpox was just some weird cousin of syphilis... now it's like a regular thing! 🤪 Six cases in the States already? That's crazy talk! 💥 And with vaccination being less effective against this new variant, it's like we're right back to square one. 🔄 I mean, what's next? The flu? COVID all over again? 😩 I'm just worried about our vulnerable populations, especially those in the LGBTQ+ community... they need to be protected ASAP! 💕 We gotta come together and make sure everyone has access to testing and vaccines, and that no one is too afraid to get checked out. 💪
 
this mpox thing is getting super concerning 🤒, i mean, 44k cases this year already? that's crazy! 🤯 but what really gets me is how they're saying vaccination might make it harder to track the spread of the virus... like, isn't that kinda counterintuitive? 💡 shouldn't vaccines just help prevent infections and all that? anyway, i'm totally on board with wastewater sampling being a thing - it's like, super cheap and non-intrusive, right? 🌿 so yeah, let's hope we can get on top of this before it gets outta hand... 🤞
 
🤔 so the new mpox variant is spreading like crazy in europe and now california's got cases too... i'm worried about the vaccine thing tho 🤕 if it makes people less sick, how are they supposed to detect the virus? we need better tracking methods than just hospitals 🚑. wastewater sampling sounds cool, but what about ppl who can't access clean water or sanitation facilities? 🌎

anyway, i'm all for getting the community involved in testing and vaccines... like that 2022 queer community effort was super helpful 🙏 but we gotta make sure everyone has access to care without being stigmatized 🚫. it's a tough situation, but i guess that's why we have public health officials sounding the alarm 😬
 
the thing is, i'm kinda worried about this mpox thingy... people think it's like just another virus, but the weird thing is, it seems to be really good at spreading through social circles, especially among gay and bisexual guys. its like, we need to take care of these communities, make sure they're getting tested and vaccinated and stuff. i'm not saying vaccines are bad or anything, but if people aren't getting their shots and still gettin infected... its hard for us to track it down. what if this thingy gets outta control? 🤔🚨
 
I'm getting a bit concerned about this mpox thing 🤒🚨... I mean, I get it, we need to stay vigilant and all that, but six cases already? It's not exactly rocket science, right? 🤔 We've had other outbreaks like this before, and the fact that vaccination might complicate tracking is just a bummer. But at the same time, I don't want to be alarmist or anything... it does seem like we're seeing more community spread than expected.

I'm actually kind of impressed by how the US public health community is coming together on this 🙌. Focusing on social determinants and supporting vulnerable populations is a great idea - we need to make sure everyone's got access to testing, vaccines, and support services 🤝. And I love that they're exploring wastewater sampling as an early warning system... it's not exactly glamorous, but it's a clever way to stay on top of things 💡.

Anyway, I think the key is just to be proactive and communicate effectively 📢. We need to make sure everyone's informed about the risks and how to mitigate them. And if we can tap into those community networks like we did last time, that'd be a big plus 🌈. Fingers crossed we can contain this thing before it gets out of hand... 🤞
 
🤯 this new mpox variant is spreading fast, like that scene from Contagion where the virus takes off 🚨💉. officials are getting antsy because it's a more contagious strain and vaccination might make it harder to track cases...not cool 😬. and what's up with the social network thing? like, gay men and bis guys having more cases than others? doesn't mean they're not important, btw 🙅‍♂️ just saying we gotta address the root issues here too. community testing, support services, all that jazz 💊🌈
 
I'm low-key freaked out about this new mpox variant 🤢🚨. Like, I get that it's still a relatively rare thing, but 44k cases worldwide is a whole lotta people getting sick 🤯. And with community spread now happening in the US... I don't know, man 😬. It just feels like we're already behind on this one.

And can we talk about how hard it is to track this stuff? With vaccines making less severe disease and all that jazz... I'm no expert, but it seems like we need some new tools in our toolbox 💡. Wastewater sampling sounds like a solid starting point, though 🤔. At least it's something we can do without having to get everyone vaccinated 😊.

I'm also super worried about the social networks that are getting affected here 🤝. Like, those communities that already deal with some of the biggest health disparities? We need to be supporting them more than ever 💕. I'm talking about free testing, vaccine access, all that good stuff... and we need to do it ASAP ⏰. Can't have our queer friends (and everyone else) getting sick without having a solid support system behind them 🤗.
 
🤒 I'm getting really worried about this mpox thingy spreading 🚨💉. Like, we're only seeing cases in certain areas and that's not cool 😒. What's up with the wastewater sampling method though? Sounds like a game-changer for detecting outbreaks 💡. We need to be proactive and monitor those communities 👥. It's also super important that we talk about social determinants of health and reduce stigma around testing 🤝. I mean, vaccination is key but it's not just about getting vaccinated, it's about having access to care and being part of a community that looks out for each other 💕 #MPoxMatters #WastewaterSampling #CommunityFirst
 
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