An elderly man living in the remote Kenai Peninsula of Alaska has become the first known fatality from the recently discovered Alaskapox virus, according to state health officials. The man, who had been undergoing cancer treatment, was hospitalized in November and sadly passed away in late January. Health officials believe his suppressed immune system due to cancer drugs may have contributed to the severity of his illness. While the man's age was not disclosed, he was described as elderly.
Alaskapox, also known as AKPV, is a virus that is related to smallpox, cowpox, and mpox. Its symptoms can include a rash, swollen lymph nodes, and joint or muscle pain. Since the first case was reported in 2015, only six other cases of the virus have been documented in Alaska, all in the Fairbanks area which is over 300 miles away from the Kenai Peninsula. However, all these cases were mild and resulted in recovery without hospitalization.
