NEW YORK (AP) — Two Californians diagnosed with mpox may be the first U.S. cases resulting from the local spread of a different version of the virus, health officials said.

The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services this week confirmed the first case through testing at a state lab. Los Angeles County health officials on Thursday reported a second, similar case.

Officials say the risk to the public is low.

These are not the U.S. first cases of what is known as clade I mpox. But all six previous cases were among international travelers who were believed to have been infected abroad.

Both infected people in California were hospitalized, and they are now recovering at home. Officials declined to give other details.

Long Beach is located in Los Angeles County but has its own ci

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