As Congo faces its largest outbreak of monkeypox, scientists warn that discrimination against gay and bisexual men on the continent could make matters worse.
The World Health Organization (WHO) last November reported that mpox, also known as monkey pox, was spread for the first time in Congo through sexual contact. This is a significant change compared to previous outbreaks, where the virus generally attacked people who had contact with sick animals.
Monkeypox has been present in parts of central and western Africa for decades, but it wasn’t until 2022 that it was documented that the virus is spread through sex. Most of the 9,100 people infected in around 100 countries in 2022 were gay or bisexual men.
In Africa, reluctance to report symptoms can mean outbreaks are unknown, said Dimie Ogoina, an infectious disease specialist at Niger Delta University in Nigeria. “It could be that because homosexuality is prohibited by law in most parts of Africa, many people do not report it if they think they have been infected with monkeypox,” Ogoina said.
READ ALSO: WHO Confirms First Transmission of Monkey Pox Through Sexual Intercourse in Congo
WHO officials said they identified the first cases of severe, sexually transmitted monkeypox in Congo last spring, shortly after a Belgian resident who “identified himself as a man who has sexual relations with other men” arrived. in Kinshasa, the capital of Congo. WHO said five other people who had sexual contact with the man later became infected with chickenpox.
“We have underestimated the potential for sexual transmission of monkeypox in Africa for years,” said Ogoina, who first reported in 2019 that monkeypox may be spread through sexual contact.
Gaps in case monitoring make it difficult to estimate how many cases of monkeypox actually occur due to sexual intercourse, Ogoina added. Especially because most cases of monkeypox in Nigeria infect people who have never had contact with animals.
There are currently around 13,350 suspected cases of monkeypox in Congo, including 607 deaths. Only about 10% of cases are confirmed through laboratory tests. But how many infections are transmitted through sexual contact remains unclear. WHO says around 70% of monkeypox cases occur in children under 15 years of age.
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“In a recent visit to Congo to research the outbreak, WHO officials found “a lack of awareness” among health workers that monkeypox can be sexually transmitted. As a result, many cases are missed.
The WHO said authorities had confirmed outbreaks of monkeypox “among male partners and concurrent outbreaks through heterosexual relations” in various regions of the country.
Monkey pox usually causes symptoms of fever, skin rash, lesions and muscle pain for up to one month. Monkey pox can spread through close contact, and most people recover on their own without medical treatment.
During the widespread outbreak in the world in 2022, several countries carried out mass vaccination programs – namely Canada, England and America. The main targets are those at highest risk, namely gay and straight men. But experts say vaccination programs may not be successful in Africa for several reasons, including the strong stigma against gay people. [em/ft]
2023-12-29 08:09:14
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