Alaska man is first reported person to die of Alaskapox virus; exposure may be linked to stray cat

An elderly man in Alaska has died from Alaskapox, the first known fatality from the recently discovered virus, state health officials said. It's unclear how the man contracted the virus but officials say it's possible that it could be linked to a stray cat that lived with him.

The man, who lived in the remote Kenai Peninsula, was hospitalized last November and died in late January, according to a bulletin released Friday from Alaska public health officials.

The man was undergoing cancer treatment and had a suppressed immune system because of the drugs, which may have contributed to the severity of his illness, the bulletin said. It described him as elderly but didn't provide his age.