‘This thing is spreading. It’s here’: First Georgia woman with monkeypox speaks out about diagnosis

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Thursday, the Biden Administration declared the monkeypox virus a public health emergency.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more 6,000 cases nationwide.

In Georgia, there are 504 cases. Four of those cases are women.

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Channel 2′s Audrey Washington spoke with the first woman in Georgia to contract the virus.

“I’m in the healing stages. As you can see my face is starting to scab up,” said Camille Seaton. “I saw bumps break out and I kid you not, in this same array and I just thought it was a breakout.”

Seaton said the breakout, along with headaches, chills and fatigue didn’t go away.

She went to the emergency room and got tested.

“I waited on the results and it was positive. I had monkeypox,” Seaton said.

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Infectious disease doctors said those currently impacted the most by the virus are gay or bisexual men.

Doctors also said anyone can contract the virus through close contact.

Seaton is a cashier and believes she likely caught monkeypox at work.

“I just want y’all to know that I did not do anything sexual to contract this disease. This thing is spreading. It’s here,” Seaton said.

Washington spoke with Dr. Jayne Morgan, executive director of the COVID-19 Task Force for Piedmont Healthcare Corporation, and asked her how transmissible the virus is and what, in addition to getting the vaccine, can people do to stay monkeypox-free.

“You can get it from sharing towels and sharing linens, if the person who used the towel or slept in that bed is infected with the monkeypox virus,” Morgan said. “The normal cleaning and disinfecting processes should be maintained.”

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Seaton said she wants anyone who hears her story to take the virus seriously.

“These scars will fade, but you will forever notice,” Seaton said.

Seaton is still in isolation and out of work. She started a GoFundMe account to help with expenses.

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