The first Alaskapox virus death case was confirmed by the Alaska Department of Health on Friday, Feb. 9. Health officials posted a bulletin to inform the public regarding the case.
Alaskapox, a species of the orthopox virus. This means that it is similar to the monkey pox (aka pox). It was first discovered in Fairbanks, Alaska, back in 2015.
The state health department said that there have been only seven cases ever since the Alaskapox was discovered. Now, for the first time, a victim died after getting infected by this virus.
The Alaska Department of Health said that the first victim to die because of the Alaskapox was an elderly man who was immunocompromised. Health officials explained that his existing medical condition made him at higher risk for severe illness, as reported by ABC News.
"This is the first case of severe Alaskapox infection resulting in hospitalization and death. The patient's immunocompromised status likely contributed to illness severity," explained the health department via its official bulletin.
"Being the first case of Alaskapox identified outside of the Interior region, it indicates that AKPV appears to be more geographically widespread in Alaska's small mammals than previously known," added health officials.
When it comes to cause, they said that the Alaskapox's infection route is still unknown. However, they said that it could be possible that getting scratches from stray cats could present a possible cause of the infection.
As of writing, the Alaska Section of Epidemiology (SOE) is still working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the University of Alaska Museum to test other small mammals outside the Interior region for Alaskapox infections.
As of writing, the Alaskapox is still considered a rare virus infection. The first death case is also a special one since the patient was immunocompromised.
The Alaska Division of Public Health clarified that those who are not immunocompromised only had a mild illness that resolved themselves. This means that the Alaskapox is not that severe. Another thing that Americans should know is the symptoms they must look out for, such as the following:
- Skin Lesions (similar to insect bites)
- Swollen Lymph Nodes
- Joint or Muscle Pain
Little information about the Alaskapox is known since it is a rare and new virus. But, the Alaska health department is expected to share more details as they continue their investigations.
