NORTH CAROLINA – Health officials confirmed the first case of monkeypox in North Carolina on Thursday.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said it found the case through testing at the State Public Health Laboratory. Atrium Health said the case was not in Charlotte.
“The number of cases of monkeypox is growing in the United States and worldwide,” said Dr. Zack Moore, a U.S. epidemiologist and head of the epidemiological section. “Although this is the first confirmed case in North Carolina, we know that there are probably other cases in the state. We encourage doctors to consider this in people who have a rash or skin lesion that looks like monkeypox.
We work closely with the CDC, relevant LHDs and healthcare providers to identify and notify individuals who may have been in contact with the patient while they were contagious.
Humans can take basic steps to prevent the spread of monkeypox. More: pic.twitter.com/TyD84fRMMN
– NCDHHS (@ncdhhs) June 23, 2022
The NCDHHS said it was working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to notify people who may have been in contact with the person who became infected. This person is currently in isolation at home.
No cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in Mecklenburg County, the health ministry said. However, the county is preparing to offer the smallpox vaccine in limited cases of exposure to monkeypox. The smallpox vaccine is for monkeypox.
I was told that the first case of monkeypox in North Carolina was not in Mecklenburg County. I was also told that the county health department was preparing to potentially offer the measles vaccine for occupational exposure and some close contacts @wsoctv https://t.co/hipLiPIaM8
– Joe Bruno (@ JoeBrunoWSOC9) June 24, 2022
New York offers it to men who have sex with men (MSM). Mecklenburg County health officials said they had not yet offered it to the MSM group.
As of May 2022, 3,308 cases of monkeypox have been identified worldwide, with 156 cases identified in the United States. There were no deaths released from the outbreak, according to the NCDHHS.
Health officials said monkeypox is a rare but potentially serious viral disease that usually includes flu-like symptoms, swollen lymph nodes and a rash that involves swellings that are initially filled with fluid before they appear.
More information about monkeypox can be found on the CDC website.
(SEE BELOW: Monkeypox: What You Need to Know)
Monkeypox: What You Need to Know (NCD)
© 2022 Cox Media Group
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