California mpox cases raise concerns. But health officials say the risk remains low

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.

The risk to the public is low, officials say.

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. But “at this point in our investigations, we have not identifi