SC reports 16 cases of monkeypox. Here’s how many have been documented in the Lowcountry

South Carolina reported 16 cases of monkeypox as of Friday, according to the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, with five cases located in the Lowcountry, eight in the Midlands and the remaining three Upstate.

The department confirmed the state’s first two cases of the virus on July 8.

This uptick in cases comes after the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a “global health emergency” Saturday, spurring nationwide worry and sudden shifts in states’ prevention efforts.

The U.S. has reported 4,907 cases as of Thursday, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control.

Unlike during the COVID-19 pandemic, DHEC does not plan to release case numbers by county, citing the risk of privacy violations.

What is monkeypox?

Monkeypox (MPV) is a disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which is in the same family as smallpox, although much less severe, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Its name is characterized by the pox-like illness that occurs upon infection, leading to an outbreak of lesions spreading from the face to the rest of the body, including the genital areas.

MPV was first discovered in 1958 in a monkey research facility. The first case of MPV this year was reported on May 7 in the United Kingdom and linked to a person who had traveled from Nigeria, according to the HRC. The current outbreak has known cases in Europe, Africa and the Americas. The first case in the United States was on May 18.

How does monkeypox spread?

While the temptation to compare the two may be strong, the CDC says monkeypox and COVID-19 are entirely different viruses. Monkeypox does not appear to linger in the air, so it isn’t likely to be spread during short periods of shared space.

The virus primarily spreads through close and direct contact — either with body fluids or sores on the body of someone with monkeypox, or materials that have touched these fluids or sores. While the virus can spread through intimate or sexual contact, monkeypox is not considered a sexually transmitted disease, or STD.

Dr. Jonathan Knoche, a DHEC medical consultant representing the Divisions of Immunization and Acute Disease Epidemiology, said monkeypox should not impede the everyday activities of South Carolinians.

“The risk to the general public is still low,” Knoche said. “Casually passing somebody at the grocery store or a shopping center is not the way this disease is spreading.”

Can I get a vaccine?

Due to relatively low case numbers and a limited supply of vaccines, DHEC is not yet offering the monkeypox vaccine to the general public. Vaccines are currently available for two groups of people:

▪ Close contacts of those testing postive for monkeyvirus

▪ Men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple recent sexual partners

Members of either qualifying group can schedule a vaccine appointment by calling the DHEC Customer Care Line at (855) 472-3432, available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Because the vaccine is only approved for adults, residents must also be over 18 to schedule an appointment.

In Beaufort County, vaccine appointments are currently only available on Wednesdays at the local Beaufort County DHEC office, and must be scheduled in advance.