• While Boreal pox was first identified in Fairbanks Alaska, the Department of Health of Alaska wanted the terminology of the virus to reflect the scope of identification outside of Alaska.

• Hence, after coordination with the CDC and WHO, from April 2024, Alaska pox will be referred to by its new name, Boreal Pox.

• The first six cases were from Fairbanks itself, while the latest was reported this year from the Kenai region of Alaska.

• No human-to-human transmission has been observed with Boreal pox but epidemiologists report that canine and feline pets may have a role in its transmission.

• Symptoms of this infection include skin lesions like pustules, swollen lymph nodes, and joint/muscle pain.

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