Alaska health officials warned of the risk of Alaskapox in the wake of the first death from the disease in January 2024, according to an article published in The New York Times. Health officials did not release the identity of the patient who died, but did describe the factors that may have led him to contract the Alaskapox-causing virus. The elderly patient resided alone in a forested area, had a history of drug-induced immunosuppression, and was feeding a stray cat. The patient informed physicians that about a month after the cat scratched him, he developed a red papule at the same site. The cat tested negative for several orthopox viruses; nonetheless, the experts emphasized that the animal’s claws may have come into contact with infected rodents. After initially seeking care for the lesion, the patient was prescribed antibiotics that proved to be ineffective and was hospitalized with severe symptoms—including an inability to move the affected arm, burning pain, four lesions across the body that healed slowly, malnutrition, acute kidney failure, and respiratory failure. Physicians tested the patient for cowpox and mpox and finally diagnosed him with Alaskapox in November 2023. However, the patient died 2 months later from complications tied to the infection. There have been seven total cases of Alaskapox in the state since 2015—six of which have occurred in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, where the virus is known to be present in small mammals such as red-backed voles and shrews. Though Alaskapox is currently not thought to be transmissible between humans, the experts stressed that all of the patients who tested positive for the virus have owned or been in contact with cats or dogs. Further, because the symptoms of the disease can be mild, there may have been a number of undiagnosed cases. The experts explained that the disease can result in skin lesions, swollen lymph nodes, and muscle and joint pain. Individuals who believe they may have symptoms of Alaskapox should visit their health-care providers immediately to receive an early diagnosis.