France Sees Its First Mpox Clade 1b Case Emerge: Believed Caused By Woman's Contact With A Traveler Who Was Returning From Western Africa

Not surprising -- but it reaffirms my guess that this Clade 1b outbreak will vex us sporadically, but globe wide, through mid-year 2025, at least.

The virus finds a host from any close contact, and is particularly robust. The index traveler has yet to be identified, but all contacts of the woman have been vaccinated now in Rennes. Here's the latest, from Reuters reporting:

. . .The patient had not traveled to Central Africa, where the new form of the virus originated but was in contact with two people who had returned from that region, AFP reported, citing the ministry. Health authorities are investigating the source of the infection and are working to trace all potential contacts, according to AFP.

The patient is a woman and was diagnosed in the northwestern region of Brittany at a hospital in Rennes, French regional newspaper Ouest France reported. . . .

Now you know -- and the first fatality from bird flu has been recorded, in that patient in Louisiana we mentioned who had seen it mutate en vivo, during the course of the viral progression.

Separately, we await Friday -- with Hizzoner due to another contempt proceeding -- this Friday, this time in DC federal court, before the able Judge Beryl Howell. This time the contempt concerns his continued defamation of the two Georgia election workers -- not a fight over his (former) property, per se. He could see additional damages imposed -- for continuing his libel of the women, to be sure, though.

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