Several people at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility in Iowa have been infected with Mpox.

“Affected individuals are being cared for and enhanced hygiene and isolation protocols are in place to prevent further spread,” Paul Cornelius, chief of staff for the Iowa Department of Corrections, said in a statement to Des Moines’ KCCI. He did not say how many people are infected overall.

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Monkeypox is divided into two strains, Clade 1 and Clade 2. Symptoms are reminiscent of flu and skin lesions may also occur. Clade 1 is more serious, with a mortality rate of about 1.7%. Many African countries are affected by this disease. Clade 1 has not been found in the United States. Clade 2 is a less severe disease with a survival rate of 99.9% – this was found in Iowa.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared monkeypox an international health emergency last month following an outbreak in Central Africa. This is the second time since 2022 that the WHO has declared monkeypox an international emergency. On August 14, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a press release saying that there is, however, a “very low” risk from the clade 1 strain of monkeypox in the United States.

The virus can be spread in several ways, according to the CDC, including through “close contact (including intimate or sexual contact) with a person who has MPOX and through contact with contaminated materials.”

Mpox by far primarily affects men – gay or bisexual men. Of the cases confirmed by the CDC in the United States between October 1, 2023 and April 30, 2024, 94% were cisgender men. Only 20% of the total cases reported sexual orientation, but of those who did, 90% identified as gay or bisexual.

However, the incident in Iowa is no reason to panic. Still, it is best to be aware of the virus and remain vigilant as always. There is a vaccine.