Massachusetts DPH Says Gay, Bisexual Men at Higher Risk of Mpox

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a public health emergency over a new outbreak of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, in several African nations, with a handful of cases now reported outside the continent.

The Independent reports, "The infection has been on the rise in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which accounts for 96 percent of all cases in Africa."

There have been no confirmed cases of mpox in the United States.

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences says, "Mpox is a rare disease that can make you sick, including a rash, which may look like pimples or blisters, often with an earlier flu-like illness."

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) advises caution.

"Mpox can spread to anyone through close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact," the agency states.

DPH further advises certain members of the Commonwealth's LGBTQ+ community, "Anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has mpox is at risk, but data suggests that gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men make up a higher number of cases."

DPH says, "Healthcare providers are urged to be alert for patients who have rash illnesses consistent with mpox, regardless of whether they have risk factors for mpox and regardless of gender or sexual orientation."

Officials with DPH are "working with local health officials to identify people who may have been in contact with individuals who have tested positive for mpox, so they can monitor their health.

The Independent reports, "More than 17,000 cases and 571 deaths have now been confirmed across the continent (Africa) so far this year, with the WHO calling the outbreak an 'international concern."