CBS News
What is Alaskapox? Symptoms to know after death brings attention to virus
News that an elderly man in Alaska has died from Alaskapox — the first known fatality, according to state health officials — has brought newfound attention to the recently discovered virus.
The man, who lived in the remote Kenai Peninsula and had a suppressed immune system due to cancer treatments, was hospitalized in November and died in late January, according to a bulletin released Friday by Alaska public health officials.
Alaskapox, also known as AKPV, is part of a group of viruses called orthopoxviruses, which infect mammals and cause skin lesions, according to the Alaska Department of Health.
First discovered in 2015, Alaskapox is related to smallpox, cowpox and mpox, officials said.
Though it’s unclear how the man contracted the virus, officials said it’s possible that it could be linked to a stray cat that lived with him.
The news comes as health officials in Oregon recently confirmed a rare case of human plague in a resident who was likely infected by their pet cat.
Alaskapox symptoms
The Alaska Department of Health said symptoms of Alaskapox can include:
- One or more skin lesions
- Rash
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Joint or muscle pain
“Several Alaskapox patients initially thought they had a spider or insect bite,” the health department notes.
Dr. Joe McLaughlin, state epidemiologist and chief of the Alaska Section of Epidemiology at the Alaska Department of Health, told CBS News that the general recommendation in Alaska is to see your healthcare provider if you have a lesion that looks like it could be Alaskapox.
“Even if their symptoms are mild, we want to do a better job of characterizing the burden of illness that’s occurring in humans associated with this virus,” he said. “And anybody who has underlying medical conditions or is immunocompromised might be at increased risk for more severe infection, so getting in to see a health care provider early for those folks especially, is going to be important to make sure that they are given the correct advice and perhaps started on treatment to help prevent progression.”
Alaska Department of Health via AP
How does Alaskapox spread?
It’s unclear exactly how Alaskapox is transmitted, but researchers said it may be zoonotic, meaning it can jump from animals to humans.
In the bulletin about the AKPV-caused death, officials said tests found evidence of current or previous infection in several species of small mammals in the Fairbanks area, including red-backed voles and at least one domestic pet.
While the cat tested negative for the virus, it “regularly hunted small mammals and frequently scratched the patient,” the bulletin said, meaning it’s possible the cat had the virus on its claws when it scratched him.
The bulletin said a “notable” scratch near the armpit area where the first symptom — a red lesion — was noted.
How to protect against Alaskapox
In addition to taking precautions around wildlife to avoid potential Alaskapox infections, officials also recommend being cautious of skin lesions that may have been caused by the virus.
“To date, no human-to-human transmission of Alaskapox virus has been documented. However, since certain orthopoxviruses can be transmitted through direct contact with skin lesions, we recommend that people with skin lesions possibly caused by Alaskapox keep the affected area covered with a bandage,” the Alaska Department of Health said.
Officials also recommend to avoid sharing bedding or other linens that have come into contact with the lesion.
McLaughlin said officials haven’t seen any evidence yet of domestic pets showing specific signs or symptoms of Alaskapox virus infection.
“It’s not to say that that couldn’t happen — certainly pet owners should be aware if they have a pet that has lesions or open wounds. Have a low threshold for bringing their pet into see a veterinarian for evaluation,” he said.
How common is Alaskapox?
Only six other cases of the virus have been reported to Alaska health officials since the first one in 2015. All involved people were living in the Fairbanks area, more than 300 miles from the Kenai Peninsula, according to health officials.
Nearly all patients had mild illnesses that resolved on their own, without being hospitalized, after a few weeks. Immunocompromised people might be at increased risk for more severe illness, officials said.
Richard Reithinger, infectious disease epidemiologist at nonprofit research institute RTI International, said the distribution of Alaskapox virus seems limited to Alaska at this time.
“It is unlikely that anyone outside of the Fairbanks area would come into contact with the virus,” he said, making the risk of Alaskapox virus “being or becoming a major public health concern is very low.”
With increased awareness around Alaskapox, it’s possible officials will see more cases reported, said Julia Rogers, epidemic intelligence service officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adding, “we don’t have evidence that anyone outside of Alaska is at risk of Alaskapox.”
“But we do need to do a lot more animal sampling and testing to get a better idea of what this virus looks like in the animal population throughout throughout Alaska and potentially beyond,” she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
NEW YORK — A judge in New York has set a May 2025 trial date for rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was arrested for sex trafficking, racketeering and conspiracy.
According to the indictment, Combs allegedly abused women for years as associates and employees kept quiet and allegedly helped. Victims were allegedly blackmailed or silenced through violence.
Combs, 54, entered court Thursday dressed in a wrinkled tan shirt and matching pants. He seemed more upbeat, smiling and waving to his mother and children in the gallery
Combs, who has twice been denied bail, spoke with his legal team and nodded his head in agreement as his lead attorney spoke at the proceeding.
“He’s making an adjustment,” said Anthony Ricco, who is on Combs’ legal defense team. “We really want to put an end to all the clowning we see on the internet. This is a serious proceeding with serious consequences.”
The judge, newly assigned to the case after a previous judge recused himself, set a trial date for May 5, 2025.
Prosecutors have until Dec. 31 to turn over discovery. In court, they said they seized over 96 electronic devices in three searches at an airport, as well as Combs’ Miami and Los Angeles residences.
Combs’ attorneys filed a motion for an evidentiary hearing alleging the government, mostly the Department of Homeland Security, leaked information and material, including the 2016 hotel surveillance video showing Combs attacking his former girlfriend, singer Cassie, which aired on CNN.
Defense attorneys want the video out of evidence, saying leaks prevented him from “getting fair consideration” by the grand jury and that they tainted the jury pool.
In a letter, federal prosecutors told the judge they were not in possession of the video before CNN aired it.
In court, the all-female prosecution team told the judge no leaks came from prosecutors and that they believed “this motion is baseless,” a means for the defense to “try and exclude a damming piece of evidence.”
Prosecutors also took issue with comments Combs’ lead attorney made in the press. They said he accused the government of a racist prosecution, quoting an interview where he called it the “takedown of a successful Black man.”
The judge said a reciprocal gag order could be written up.
“I’m not going to say anything that I haven’t said in court and in my papers,” Marc Agnifilo, Combs’ lead defense attorney said outside the courthouse.
Prosecutors said a superseding indictment could be filed.
Consumer Reports is calling for a federal ban of infant walkers, saying the products injure thousands of babies every year despite federal safety standards that have slowed — but not stopped — heartbreaking incidents for parents.
The consumer advocacy group’s stark warning, along with its newly published report detailing injuries and deaths caused by baby walkers, comes two decades after Canada banned them after investigating serious pediatric injuries from falls by infants using the products.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in 2018 also pushed for a ban, stating that walkers do not help babies learn to walk and in fact can delay normal motor and mental development.
“One thing that’s really not well understood by the public in general is just how fast infants can travel in these walkers — multiple feet per second,” Dr. James Dodington, a pediatric emergency medicine doctor, told CR. “The risks are numerous,” the physician added, noting that, beyond head and neck injuries, babies can be burned by coming into contact with a hot stove or inadvertently rolling into a pool or other body of water.
Over the years manufacturers have voluntarily tightened safety standards, while the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in 2010 mandated brakes on the baby walkers to prevent falls down staircases. But these steps only succeeded in slowing the rate of injuries, with thousands of kids still treated in hospital emergency rooms every year.
From 1990 to 2014, nearly 231,000 U.S. children below the age of 15 months were treated in ERs for infant walker-related injuries, most sustaining head or neck injuries and nearly two-thirds of the incidents involving falls down stairs, according to 2018 research from AAP. Injuries fell nearly 23% during the four-year period after the federal safety standard took effect, yet thousands of kids are still injured every year.
“Because there is no clear benefit from their use, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a ban on the manufacture and sale of mobile infant walkers,” AAP stated.
Between 2021 and 2023, an average of 2,467 children per year under age 5 ended up in the ER after using baby walkers, jumpers or exercisers, according to the CPSC’s 2024 nursery products report, citing data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System.
Asked for comment about Consumer Reports’ call for a baby walker ban, a spokesperson for the CPSC said the agency’s staff “constantly review incident data with a view toward ensuring that standards continue to address product hazards. To the extent that staff recommend additional improvements to the mandatory standard, the commission will consider how best to act on those recommendations.”
MIAMI – Cuban reggaeton artist Jose Manuel Carbajal Zadivar, known professionally as El Taiger, died Thursday afternoon, seven days after he was found shot in the head in Miami.
“During this incredibly difficult time, family, friends and followers came together in prayer, hope and support, seeking a miracle,” according to a statement posted on his Instagram page. “To all who offered their prayers, we thank you. Sadly, this afternoon, El Taiger was pronounced dead and has now been reunited with his beloved mother in heaven.”
He was in critical condition after he was found shot in the head in Miami last morning.
The incident occurred shortly after 7 a.m. when officers responded to reports of a man shot in the head inside a black Mercedes SUV near NW 17th St. 10 Ave.
First responders rushed El Taiger to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, where he was placed on life support.
Before going to the hospital, manager Macel Reinosa told CBS News Miami that there was a person of interest, someone who he said knows the artist and the person allegedly called 9-1-1.
“His family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the medical team at Jackson Memorial Hospital for their tireless efforts, as well as to the millions who offered prayers and tributes during his hospitalization. These last few days have been incredibly difficult for those who loved him, and the support received from around the world has meant a lot,” according to the Instagram post.
El Taiger fans are encouraged “to honor his memory by celebrating the joy he brought to so many. Turn up your music, dance and celebrate your life. The Taiger was the feeling of the people, and now we must keep that feeling alive through their music and their legacy,” according to the post.
Details about a memorial service will be announced at a later date, the post said.
El Taiger is well-known in the Latin music scene, particularly for his contributions to reggaeton, a genre that blends Caribbean rhythms with urban beats.
