According to UNAIDS, some coverage of the monkeypox virus is racist and homophobic, increasing stigma and undermining efforts to stem the outbreak.
The UNAIDS agency said “a significant proportion” of recent monkeypox cases have been reported among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men.
However, transmission was most likely by close physical contact with a monkeypox sufferer and could affect anyone, it added, adding that some depictions of Africans and LGBTI people “reinforce homophobic and racist stereotypes and exacerbate stigma”.
There have been 92 confirmed monkeypox cases and 28 suspected cases reported to the World Health Organization as of 21 May from 12 countries where the disease is not endemic, including several European countries, the US, Australia and Canada.
“Stigma and blame undermine trust and capacity to respond effectively during outbreaks like this one,” said the UNAIDS deputy executive director, Matthew Kavanagh.
Stigmatizing rhetoric can easily disable evidence-based responses by inflaming fear, driving people away from health services, impeding efforts to identify cases, and encouraging ineffective, punitive measures.”
In response to rising cases of the virus in Europe and elsewhere, Argentina’s health ministry said on Sunday there was a suspected case of monkeypox in Buenos Aires.
Both Israel and Switzerland have identified a recent traveler who is infected. Israel is looking into other suspected cases.
Health authorities confirmed Austria’s first case of the virus on Sunday, while in the US they may have discovered the country’s third case and were running tests on a patient in South Florida.
Monkeypox symptoms include fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion and a chickenpox-like rash on the hands and face.
No treatment exists, but the symptoms usually clear up after two to four weeks. The disease is considered endemic in 11 African nations.
