North Charlotte Today

With Charlotte Pride coming up in a couple of weeks, Mecklenburg County health officials are working to get a handle on monkeypox beforehand.

Monkeypox is still not affected huge numbers of people, but the number of cases is increasing. As of Aug. 2, the county had 33 confirmed cases, with the number doubling every three to four days.

“Beyond Pride, of course, much of the transmission currently is not happening at public settings,” Dr. Raynard Washington, director of Mecklenburg County Public Health, told WBTV News. “We’re working to also raise awareness among those sort of nonpublic events and obviously personal accountability for individuals, as they go about their everyday lives, to ensure we’re getting the word out to the right population and those who are at greatest risk.” 

Pride is a concern because it brings together huge numbers of people, with about 200,000 people attending last year’s event.

Mecklenburg County Public Health officials have been coordinating with Pride organizers on making sure the public is well-informed about monkeypox and how it is spread. While the majority of cases have been reported in gay and bisexual men, officials want to make everyone aware that anyone can get monkeypox. Health watchers want to make sure Pride attendees are educated before the event.

Elsewhere, North Carolina health outlets have a limited number of monkeypox vaccines. Because supplies are limited, there is talk about shifting the available doses from areas where there is little demand to areas where demand is outpacing supply. Mecklenburg County, for example, is expecting 2,000 doses but 1,800 people are already on the waiting list for vaccines.

The Charlotte Pride Festival is set for the weekend of Saturday, Aug. 20, at the end of Pride Week, which starts on Friday, Aug. 12.