Alaska reports first fatal case of Alaskapox as fears begin to grow

It is a newly-discovered viral disease.

Alaska health officials have confirmed the state’s first fatal case of Alaskapox, a newly discovered viral disease. According to reports, an elderly immunocompromised man from the Kenai Peninsula passed away while receiving treatment in late January.

He is among only seven reported cases of Alaskapox infections, according to the Alaska Department of Public Health’s announcement on Friday.

“People should not necessarily be concerned but more aware,” said Julia Rogers, a state epidemiologist.

“So we’re hoping to make clinicians more aware of what Alaskapox virus is, so that they can identify signs and symptoms.”

What is Alaskapox?

Alaskapox, a double-stranded-DNA virus related to smallpox, monkeypox, and cowpox, was first identified in an adult in Fairbanks in 2015.

It primarily affects small mammals such as voles and shrews. Previously, Alaskapox cases presented mild symptoms, including a localized rash and swollen lymph nodes, with no need for treatment in patients with healthy immune systems.

However, the fatal case, the first outside of Alaska’s interior, posed challenges in diagnosis due to the severity of symptoms and the patient’s immunocompromised state.

The man’s isolated lifestyle and lack of recent travel raise questions about how he contracted the virus. Although his cat tested negative, officials speculate that the virus could have spread from its claws.

Despite initial improvement with treatment, the man succumbed to kidney and respiratory failure in late January.

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