GREENSBORO, N.C. — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported 162 cases of monkeypox as of Monday morning. The rare disease is spreading through the U.S. right now, where it's been declared a public health emergency.
There are many questions surrounding the virus. Dr. Andrew Wallace with the Cone Health Regional Center for Infectious Disease was on 2 Your Well-Being to talk about the most common monkeypox questions and concerns.
Symptoms of monkeypox:
They can vary, but Dr. Wallace says the most common are:
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Fatigue
- A rash that can look like pimples or even blisters
What do you do if you're exposed to monkeypox?
The safest thing to do is get tested if you're concerned. There's a test for chickenpox, there's a test for monkeypox, or you could even be tested for flu or COVID-19 if those other tests are negative.
You can get testing done at the health department or doctor's office.
Dr. Wallace says you should also avoid sex or being intimate with anyone until you can get checked out by a health provider.
Currently, the vaccine is being prioritized for high-risk groups, especially men who have sex with men, and household or close contacts of someone who has monkeypox.
What's the biggest monkeypox misconception?
Dr. Wallace says the overall risk to the community is low. While most cases are in men who have sex with men, he says it is not considered a sexually transmitted disease, it's just spread through close, sustained physical contact, which can include sexual contact.