Pittsburgh’s LGBTQIA+ Commission Says, Tell the Truth about Monkeypox

Pittsburgh’s LGBTQIA+ Commission Says, Tell the Truth about Monkeypox

September 16, 2022 by Sue

The United States’ response to the 2022 human monkeypox (hMPX) outbreak has been a lackluster and consequential effort due largely to hand-wringing over who is most affected by the expanding health emergency. For public health officials it appears to have been more important to avoid triggering homophobia than using the most compelling data available that could effectively get the attention of persons most at risk.

Approximately 94% of hMPX infection worldwide and in the U.S. have occurred in men who have sex with men (MSM).

The first U.S. case of hMPX infection during the 2022 outbreak was reported on May 17. As of September 14, there have been 22,773 cases reported in the U.S. and 59,606 cases worldwide. Over the course of the 2022 outbreak, the cases have consistently remained in the MSM demographic.

The sudden and explosive hMPX epidemic in the U.S. appears to be slowing. However, there should be no relaxation of the effort to reach the persons most at risk if the spread of this serious infection is going to be extinguished.