Wake County Public Health announced Thursday that there are two confirmed cases of monkeypox in women in the county.
They are the first confirmed cases of the virus in women in North Carolina, a release issued by the county said.
“While this global outbreak mostly affects men who have sex with other men, monkeypox is a public health concern for all of us,” Wake County Preventive Health Director Rebecca Kaufman said in the release. “Although living in the same area as a person with monkeypox has a low level of risk, it is always important to sanitize surfaces, wear a mask when needed, and wash hands frequently.”
Monkeypox is spread from person to person through direct skin-to-skin contact, exposure to 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, hugging, or sex.
On Thursday, North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services reported 282 cases of monkeypox in the state, up from 198 cases reported on Aug. Here are the details of the state’s affairs:
- gender
- age
- 0-17: Two
- 18-29: 106
- 30-49: 153
- 50 years and above: 21
- Caste
- American Indian/Alaska Native: three
- Asian: One
- Black or African American: 190
- Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders: Zero
- White: 68
- Multi-racial: Seven
- other: 10
- Stranger: three
- CASTEISMAND
- Hispanic: 25
- Non-Hispanic: 248
- Stranger: nine
As of August 25, there are 31 documented cases of the virus confirmed in Wake County.
The symptoms of monkeypox are similar to those of smallpox, but mild, and monkeypox is rarely fatal. Symptoms can include fever and sores that can spread throughout the body.
As of Thursday, Wake County Public Health delivered more than 1,300 doses of the vaccine.
In addition, North Carolina has two confirmed cases of monkeypox in children as of Thursday.
On Tuesday, the Mecklenburg County Health Department reported North Carolina’s first known pediatric case of monkeypox.
(This story has not been edited by seemayo staff and is published from a rss feed)