A case of Clade 1b mpox has been recorded for the first time in the United States, health officials said.

It was detected in the north California after a person returned from East Africa, the California Department of Public Health said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said this was the first case of Clade 1b. mpox registered in the United States.

The California Department of Health said the individual was self-isolating at home, their symptoms were improving and the risk to the public was low.

The Clade 1b strain of mpox was discovered by scientists earlier this year, who traced it to a Congolese mining town. They said it can cause milder symptoms but is spread more easily through close contact.

As of November 4, the United Kingdom recorded three cases of Clade 1b. THE first case – detected in London in October – was a person who was on vacation in Africa.

They developed flu-like symptoms more than 24 hours after returning to the UK, then a rash which worsened in the following days. The other two cases were household contacts of the first.

Mpox, including the Clade 1b strain, is typically spread through close physical contact, contact with infected animals, or sexual transmission.

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Common symptoms of the disease include a rash or pus-filled lesions, which can last between two and four weeks.

It can also cause fever, headache, muscle pain, back pain, lack of energy, and swollen lymph nodes.

Since the end of September, the World Health Organization said more than 3,1000 confirmed cases of Clade 1b mpox have been reported.