Is monkeypox spread through sexual contact?

How is monkeypox spread?

Is it spread through sexual contact?

What you should know about the latest global health emergency.

The World Health Organization declared

on Saturday that the monkeypox outbreak is spreading through more than 70 countries and constitutes an «extraordinary» situation that can now be described as global health emergency.

The issue of monkeypox has worried people around the world and one of the most frequently asked questions is how it is transmitted and spread. El Nacional reported that monkeypox has been identified largely in men who have sex with other men, leading people to wonder if it is spread through sexual contact.

How monkeypox is spread

Photo: AP

«Monkeypox spreads differently from coronavirus,» explains the organization. “People who have had close interaction with someone affected are at higher risk of contagion. This population includes health workers, family members or sexual partners.»

“The risk of becoming infected with monkeypox is not limited to sexually active people or men who have sex with men.» Anyone who has close physical contact with someone who is infected is at risk. Discrimination “can prevent affected people from seeking care and lead to undetected spread.” But how is monkeypox contracted? Filed Under: Monkeypox spread

Is monkeypox spread through sexual contact?

Photo: AP

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pointed out that monkeypox spreads to anyone who has close or frequent contact with someone who is infected and it was emphasized that this can include sexual contact.

This includes activities such as oral, anal, and vaginal intercourse or touching the genitals (penis, testicles, labia, and vagina) of a person who has contracted monkeypox. It can also be transmitted through hugs, massages and kisses and even with the simple fact of being in prolonged face-to-face contact. Filed Under: Monkeypox spread

Who is most exposed to the virus?

Photo: Twitter

Another thing to take into account is that people can become infected when they have contact with fabrics and objects that were used by a person with monkeypox. This is for the obvious reason that they have not been disinfected. This can happen with bedding, towels, and sex toys.

The WHO has emphasized the danger to people who have multiple or anonymous sexual partners, which can increase their chances of exposure to monkeypox so experts say that by limiting your number of sexual partners you can reduce the possibility of exposure. Filed Under: Monkeypox spread

Symptoms of monkeypox

Photo: Twitter

The symptoms of monkeypox can confuse people, but here are some warning signs. The main one is a rash on the body. It was reported that this usually appears within three weeks of exposure to the virus.

Symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and fatigue. You will usually develop a rash one to four days later on your genitals, hands, feet, chest, or face. Filed Under: Monkeypox spread