CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two Wake County women have been diagnosed with monkeypox, a virus that has exclusively been diagnosed in North Carolinian men up until this point, county public health officials announced Thursday.
Although the vast majority of monkeypox cases have been in men who have sex with men, health officials have long emphasized that the virus can spread to anyone in close contact with an infectious rash, respiratory secretions or skin-to-skin contact.
The source of that contact is often kissing, cuddling or sex, according to a news release from Wake County Public Health.
Monkeypox vaccines are available to gay, bisexual, or transgender people who have been diagnosed with an STI, have multiple sexual partners or are taking medication to prevent HIV. It is also available to anyone who has had close contact with someone diagnosed with monkeypox in the last two weeks. Wake County has administered 1,300 doses to date, the county said in a news release.
Rebecca Kaufman, Wake County Preventative Health Director, said being in the same area as someone who has monkeypox is low risk, but cleaning surfaces, wearing a mask when needed and washing hands is “always important”.
“While this global outbreak appears to mostly affect men who have sex with other men, monkeypox is a public health concern for all of us,” she said in a statement.
As of Thursday, there were 31 documented monkeypox cases in Wake County. There are 282 cases across North Carolina, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
