COLUMBIA — South Carolina has recorded 23 confirmed cases of monkeypox — 10 in the Midlands, seven in the Lowcountry and six in the Upstate. Federal health officials declared the virus a public health emergency on Thursday, Aug. 4.
“We are prepared to take our response to the next level in addressing this virus and we urge every American to take monkeypox seriously and to take responsibility to help us tackle this virus,” said Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra during a briefing Thursday.
A public health emergency declaration lasts for 90 days, but it may be extended. Four national public health emergencies have been declared in United States in the last 15 years.
As of Thursday, almost 7,000 confirmed monkeypox cases had been reported in the United States.
The highest per capita rates are in Washington, D.C., New York and Georgia, with about 25% of the cases reported in New York.
No monkeypox deaths have been reported in the United States, but the country has among the highest infection rates in the world.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 99% of the cases are among men who have sex with men.
Cases in South Carolina are following that pattern, state epidemiologist Linda Bell said during a Wednesday, Aug. 3, news briefing.
“It is close, intimate contact that is driving the outbreak currently,” Bell said, noting that the likelihood of widespread disease is low because monkeypox is not easily spread.
“People should avoid skin-to-skin contact with an infected person or personal items (towels and bed sheets) contaminated with the virus,” she said.
Symptoms
Monkeypox is a viral cousin to the smallpox virus.
Early symptoms are a “flu-like illness” that can include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and exhaustion. An irritating rash is also a symptom, though some people only experience the rash.
The rash may have lesions that look like pimples or blisters that can occur on the face and other parts of the body.
Bell said the public should remember that there is “no such thing as a gay disease.” Anyone, she said, is at risk of catching the virus if they are exposed to someone who has it.
The primary way of catching the virus is through prolonged skin-to-skin or face-to-face contact with someone who has the virus, particularly if they have open sores or lesions from the virus.
Most infections last two to four weeks, according to the CDC.
Monkeypox is unlikely to result in hospitalization or death, but can be quite painful.
“We have had individuals in the state that have been hospitalized for pain control,” Bell said.
Vaccine availability
As of Wednesday, South Carolina had received at least 1,500 doses of the vaccine, and the federal government has allocated another 5,200 doses to the state.
Bell said the state health department is finishing its application to the federal government so it can formally receive those doses in the coming weeks.
“We do have plans to make sure that we get all of the doses available to us in the state as quickly as possible,” she said.
DHEC has also received several courses of the antiviral treatment tecovirimat, or TPOXX, a treatment for smallpox infections.
The FDA is allowing states and clinicians to acquire the TPOXX treatment for severe cases of monkeypox through expanded access allowed by the CDC.
“We do believe this has great potential to be an effective therapy against the severe complications of monkeypox infections,” Bell said.
Follow reporter Greg Summers on Twitter @GregSummersTLN or contact him at 803-339-6869.
Follow reporter Greg Summers on Twitter @GregSummersTLN or contact him at 803-339-6869.
