The Southern Nevada Health District announced Tuesday the first confirmed case of Clade I mpox in a Clark County resident who had no reported travel exposure. Since August 2026, the district has also reported 11 confirmed cases of Clade II mpox, marking a recent increase. Since the first mpox case was reported in Clark County in June 2022, the Health District has recorded 365 total cases.
"This first clade I case and the recent increase in clade II cases are reminders that mpox continues to circulate in our community," said Dr. Cassius Lockett, District Health Officer for the Health District. "We encourage people at risk to get vaccinated and anyone who may have been exposed to seek guidance promptly. Recognizing symptoms and avoiding close contact when sick can also help prevent further spread."
Mpox is caused by two types of virus, known as clade I and clade II. Clade II caused the global outbreak that began in 2022 and continues to circulate at low levels in the United States. A Clade I outbreak spread widely in Central and Eastern Africa in 2024, with cases subsequently identified in other countries, including the United States. Both types can be prevented in the same ways, and the JYNNEOS vaccine is expected to protect against both.
Mpox spreads primarily through close, sustained physical contact, including sexual or intimate contact, and through direct contact with rash, sores, scabs, or bodily fluids. It can also spread via contaminated items such as clothing, bedding, or towels, and during pregnancy or childbirth. Symptoms typically begin within three weeks of exposure and illness usually lasts two to four weeks. The Health District offers mpox vaccination for eligible people ages 18 and older at its immunization clinics, given in two doses four weeks apart.
Sources: FOX5 Vegas
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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