Alaskapox Virus, a new emergence, has tragically claimed its first victim in the United States, prompting concerns about its potential threat. This development comes in the wake of the global struggle to overcome the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The deceased individual initially presented with skin lesions and received antibiotic treatment, but with no improvement and escalating pain, he was hospitalized in November 2023. Subsequent tests confirmed the presence of the Alaskapox virus, leading to his untimely demise in January 2024. This marks the first reported fatality attributed to the Alaskapox virus, with a total of seven individuals now affected. Information from the Alaska Department of Health reveals that the Alaskapox virus belongs to the orthopoxvirus family and was initially identified in a patient from Fairbanks in 2015. Orthopoxviruses are known to infect mammals, including humans, and can manifest as skin lesions.

“We are not sure exactly how the virus spreads from animals to people but contact with small mammals and potentially domestic pets who come into contact small wild mammals could play a role,” the Alaska Department of Health said.

Alaska’s Section of Epidemiology is collaborating with the University of Alaska Museum and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to test small mammals for AKPV outside the Fairbanks region.

As more attention is paid to Alaskapox, case counts could rise as more people recognize symptoms and get tested.

“People should not necessarily be concerned but more aware,” said Julia Rogers, a state epidemiologist, in the Anchorage Daily News. “So we’re hoping to make clinicians more aware of what Alaskapox virus is, so that they can identify signs and symptoms.”