2023-10-17 19:01:03
BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — North Carolina health officials encourage at-risk residents to receive a mpox vaccine after two new cases were confirmed in the past six weeks.
“If you are at higher risk for mpox and haven’t yet gotten the vaccine, now is a good time to do so,” Dr. Zack Moore, state epidemiologist, said in a news release on Tuesday, Oct. 17. “Numbers of cases have been low recently thanks to vaccinations and engagement of partners in the LGBTQ+ community, but this is a reminder that mpox is still with us.”
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The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) said the two recently confirmed cases are the first for the state since April 2023. State officials say there have been 711 confirmed cases since the outbreak began in 2022.
In addition to the two cases, health officials say the mpox virus — previously known as monkeypox — was detected in one out of 12 wastewater sites where monitoring is being conducted. These cases and wastewater detections were all in different counties, suggesting increased spread of mpox in North Carolina.
While anyone can get mpox, in the current outbreak, most cases have been in men who have sex with men, and more than half of the cases in North Carolina have been in people living with HIV.
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SYMPTOMS
Health officials say mpox usually begins with flu-like symptoms, including fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and exhaustion, followed by a rash that may be located on hands, feet, chest, face or mouth or near the genitals or perianal area. In some recent cases, the rash has appeared before or at the same time as the flu-like symptoms. Mpox can be spread from the time symptoms start until all sores have healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed — this can take several weeks. Symptoms can be more severe for people who are immunocompromised, such as in individuals living with HIV.
HOW MPOX SPREADS
State health officials say mpox is spread person to person through direct skin-to-skin contact, having contact with an infectious rash, through body fluids or through respiratory secretions. Such contact often occurs during prolonged, face-to-face contact or during intimate physical contact, such as kissing, cuddling or sex.
If you think you have mpox or have had close personal contact with someone who has mpox, visit a healthcare provider or contact your local health department to help you decide if you need to be tested for mpox. You should also talk with your doctor about getting tested for other sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and syphilis, both of which are on the rise in North Carolina.
The CDC offers more information about mpox testing and STD testing online.
NCDHHS and the CDC offered the following tips to protect yourself from mpox:
1. Get vaccinated. Vaccines, including the JYNNEOS vaccine, are free and available regardless of immigration status. Vaccination can protect against mpox infection or reduce disease severity if an infection does occur. NCDHHS recommends vaccination for —
Anyone who has or may have multiple or anonymous sex partners; orAnyone whose sex partners are eligible per the criteria above; orPeople who know or suspect they have been exposed to mpox in the last 14 days orAnyone else who considers themselves to be at risk for mpox through sex or other intimate contact.
2. Use the mpox vaccine locator to find nearby healthcare locations in your area that provide mpox vaccinations.
3. Take steps to lower your risk during sex or at social gatherings, like using a condom correctly every time you have sex.
4. Avoid close contact with people who have a rash that looks like mpox.
5. Avoid contact with objects and materials a person with mpox has used.
6. Wash your hands often.
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