Health officials on Saturday said they have identified the first U.S. case of an mpox strain that has recently prompted global health alerts over concerns about its spread, severity and transmissibility.

A new strain of mpox has been confirmed on American shores after a traveler returned to California from a visit to Africa, but risk to the public remains "very low."

Health officials in California have confirmed the first domestic case of a more severe strain of mpox in a traveler from Eastern Africa, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.