UN denounces racist, homophobic monkeypox reporting

The United Nations AIDS agency called some monkeypox virus coverage racist and homophobic on Sunday, warning that it was exacerbating stigma and undermining the response to the growing outbreak.

According to UNAIDS, gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men account for “a significant proportion” of recent monkeypox cases.

However, transmission is most likely through close physical contact with a monkeypox sufferer and could affect anyone, according to the report, which claims that some depictions of Africans and LGBTI people “reinforce homophobic and racist stereotypes and exacerbate stigma.”

As of May 21, the World Health Organization received reports of 92 laboratory-confirmed monkeypox cases and 28 suspected cases from 12 countries where the disease is not endemic, including several European nations, the United States, Australia and Canada.

“Stigma and blame undermine trust and capacity to respond effectively during outbreaks like this one,” said UNAIDS deputy executive director Matthew Kavanagh.

“Experience shows that stigmatizing rhetoric can quickly disable evidence-based response by stoking cycles of fear, driving people away from health services, impeding efforts to identify cases, and encouraging ineffective, punitive measures.”

Fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and a chickenpox-like rash on the hands and face are all symptoms of monkeypox.

There is no cure, but the symptoms usually go away after two to four weeks. Eleven African countries are considered endemic for the disease.