NORTH CAROLINA — Health officials confirmed the first case of monkeypox in North Carolina on Thursday.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said it discovered the case while performing tests at the State Laboratory of Public Health. Atrium Health said the case was not in Charlotte.

“The number of monkeypox cases has increased in the United States and around the world,” said Dr. Zack Moore, state epidemiologist and chief of the epidemiology section. “Although this is the first confirmed case in North Carolina, we know there are likely other cases in the state. We encourage doctors to take this into account in people who have a rash. or a skin lesion that looks like monkeypox.

NCDHHS said it was working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to notify people who may have come into contact with the infected person. This person is currently isolated at home.

There are no confirmed cases of monkeypox in Mecklenburg County, the health department said. However, the county is preparing to offer the smallpox vaccine in limited exposure cases to monkeypox. The smallpox vaccine is for monkeypox.

New York City offers it to men who have sex with men (MSM). Mecklenburg County health officials said they are not yet offering it to the MSM group.

Since May 2022, 3,308 cases of monkeypox have been identified worldwide, including 156 cases identified in the United States. There have been no deaths linked to the outbreak, according to the NCDHHS.

Health officials have said monkeypox is a rare but potentially serious viral illness that usually involves flu-like symptoms, swollen lymph nodes and a rash including bumps that are initially filled with fluid before forming a crust.

More information about monkeypox can be found on the CDC’s website.

(WATCH BELOW: Monkeypox: what you need to know)

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