First 2 Cases Of Monkeypox Confirmed In South Carolina: DHEC

SOUTH CAROLINA — South Carolina health officials reported the first two monkeypox cases in the state Friday.

One case is in a person in the Midlands region and the other is a person in the Lowcountry region, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

“The affected individuals will be monitored until they are no longer infectious to prevent spread of the virus and will be isolated if needed,” health officials said. “Appropriate care will be provided as needed.”

The risk to the public is low, health officials said, but they still encourage people to educate themselves.

“We understand residents have concerns about how this virus might impact our state,” Dr. Linda Bell, the state epidemiologist, said in a statement. “We expected infections to eventually occur in South Carolina as part of the larger international outbreak, which is why DHEC has been planning a response for weeks. That said, monkeypox doesn’t spread easily and we believe the risk to the general population remains low at this time.”

Midlands and Lowcountry regional epidemiology staffs are completing contact investigations and offering post-exposure vaccination to people exposed to the virus, health officials said.

Those people also will be monitored to see if they become infected. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been notified and health officials will continue to follow federal guidance in their monkeypox response.

Monkeypox is a rare but potentially serious viral illness that typically spreads by skin-to-skin contact, according to the CDC. Infections can cause flu-like symptoms as well as swelling of the lymph nodes and a rash. The rash usually contains bumps that initially fill with fluid before scabbing over.

There are 7,594 known cases of monkeypox globally, including 699 cases in the United States, according to the CDC.