This is a familiar and unwelcome drum-beat: there have been 48 Mpox cases (ten of which were the more dangerous Clade 1b) in and around San Diego. As was true in Alaska and New York and Texas, men who have even ocassional sex with men, and sex workers are most at risk.

So Southern California public health authorities are launching awareness campaigns, to encourage gettting the very-effective vaccine, from Bavarian Nordic. Here’s the latest — but this public health scourge has doubtlessly been made more dire, by Tangerine 2.0 budget cuts to public health outreach initiatives:

…San Diego County Friday reported an increase in local mpox cases with 16 confirmed since October 2026, and 48 total so far this year, an increase from 35 reported in 2025.

An infectious disease transmitted through close contact, including sexual contact, mpox has two variants that cause disease in people, Clade I and Clade II. According to the county, Clade II has driven most cases since the virus first appeared in the region in 2022. Clade I has circulated in California since 2025, and San Diego County health officials have confirmed 10 Clade I cases since July 2026….

Now you know — and in better news, my Buffs knocked off No. 14 Houston last night, around 1 am local (bro up late in Craig Hospital watching, too!) — smile.

नमस्ते