Health officials in the United States are on alert following the confirmation of a severe case of mpox, a disease characterized by a painful rash. The infected individual had recently returned from Africa,

As Africa continues to battle an outbreak of the newer "clade Ib" strain of mpox, California officials have confirmed the first known U.S. case of this strain of the virus. The subtype of clade I mpox virus has already caused widespread misery in Congo and other Africa nations.

The patient was traveling from East Africa, where the mpox disease is endemic. The CDC says the strain does not present a high risk to the general population.