Monkeypox is not expected to turn into a worldwide pandemic, like COVID-19. | Shutterstock
Monkeypox is not expected to turn into a worldwide pandemic, like COVID-19. | Shutterstock
Two cases of monkeypox have been diagnosed in North Carolina, as of July 1, and even though the infection has been around for a long time, the appearance of more cases this year is prompting doctors to warn people.
“Infections with monkeypox have been around for years and years and years, a long time,” Jeffrey Hatcher, an infectious disease physician with Cone Health in Greensboro, told ABC 45 News. “There’s been some low-level endemics in Africa for many years.”
Monkeypox may sound similar to the better-known smallpox, and while the two infections are related, they are very different illnesses. Monkeypox is milder and is identified by small, painful, ulcerative lesions located around the genital area. It can be spread by skin-to-skin contact, but it is more commonly spread during sex between men.
"Just know your partners, know the people you're with and make sure they are healthy. And aside from that, it would be other standard things, wash your hands, things like that,” Hatcher told ABC 45 News. “There’s a concern this could be a sexually transmitted infection, so the idea of using barrier protections, such as condoms, would be a good idea."
Testing can be done only at North Carolina's state laboratory currently, but more commercial labs are expected to open.
With a jump in cases coming on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, initial concerns were that another widespread infection could be on the horizon. But experts don't expect monkeypox to gain much steam.
"Monkeypox really requires a lot more direct contact. It's generally spread through contact with the lesions themselves or the fluid from the lesions,” Dr. Zack Moore with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) told ABC 45 News.
This is in contrast to COVID-19, which is very infectious and can be spread through the air.
"There's very limited data that says you can get monkeypox any way except for skin-to-skin contact,” Hatcher said, according to ABC 45 News.
Health care professionals throughout the Triad are preparing to be on the lookout for monkeypox and to educate the public on the infection.
"I think Cone is making itself prepared by educating our staff and have people be aware of what this could potentially be like,” Hatcher told ABC 45 News.
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