There is a lot of news about monkeypox at the moment and some people may be worried and others may have their hand over their ears. We don't know a lot about the virus, how serious it is, how it's transmitted, what effects it's having, and who is most at risk. Don't panic, and don't run away, here's what you need to know in a guide.
Monkeypox was first discovered in monkeys in the 1960's. In the last few years there have been cases where the outbreak is from animals to humans. Monkeypox is being acquired via human to human contact, which was previously not typical. In the UK, Europe, the U.S., and Canada, there are many outbreak cases.
A small number of people have been affected by the virus. A total of under 3000 cases have been reported since the beginning of May in the UK. It is under 5000 in the U.S. Being knowledgeable is the way to go. It is good to know what the signs and symptoms are and what to do about them in order to stop the outbreak.
Gay and bisexual men seem to be most affected at the moment. It may affect the networks of people who have sex with each other. Gay and bi men who have had a new sexual partner recently are being reached out by sexual health services. The network of people who are most likely to get the virus should be protected.
It is not homophobia or biphobia to target gay and bi men. If you ignore who is currently affected by the virus and don't allocate resources appropriately, you'll be Heterosexual and Biphobic. The part of the AIDS crisis that was Homo/biphobic was governments ignoring the virus for so long, and then when they finally started to pay attention, blaming gay and bi men.
Gay or bisexual men who have sex with men are disproportionately affected by the current outbreak. Nine heterosexual men were found to have monkeypox. People who don't have a lot of contact with sexual health services may be under reported symptoms. We should inform each other about what to look out for and be aware of monkeypox.
The kinds of symptoms to look out for have been used before.
There is a bug.
The headaches were intense.
In the neck, or in the groin, there's swelling of the lysing.
Pain in the back.
The muscles ache.
There isn't enough energy.
It could spread to the hands, mouth, or genitals.
The blisters fill up, dry out, and fall off.
People will usually recover by themselves in two to four weeks. The symptoms are unpleasant and sometimes need to be treated in the hospital. There have been deaths from monkeypox in the past, but this outbreak seems to be milder. People who need the vaccine the most are being given it.
The blisters and rash are the most common symptom according to the research. The genital area and the anus are some of the places where these are found. They can be found at the back of the throat and in the anus. Sometimes there are blisters, but most of the time there is only one. People who are affected may also experience pain in the rectum or throat.
It is thought by public health officials that it is spread by close personal contact. Even if a person wears a condom, they are still at risk of getting it.
Monkeypox is not easy to spread between people.
A person with an outbreak.
Someone with an outbreak is sharing towels or bedding.
Someone is breathing in droplets.
Most of the time in-person sex involves these things.
Most people who have acquired monkeypox think they have it from having sex. Sexual activities such as oral and anal sex are thought to be the route for the virus to enter the body. Other forms of non-penetrative sex, such as kissing, handjobs, grinding, and fuck between legs, may carry some risk.
We don't know if it's contracted by sexual fluids, but it's possible that it's acquired by exposure to a blister, rash, or sore. There are similarities between the signs of monkeypox and other sexually transmitted infections. Some people with monkeypox may have gotten an STD as well.
It is a good idea to get in touch with a sexual health service if you have any of these symptoms. You can call the National Health Service in the UK if you're in need of help. Don't come in until we ask you to, according to the general advice. There is information on monkeypox in the U.S.
If you have mild symptoms, you should stay at home and self-isolated until you are no longer infectious. It's important to get advice from your doctor about when to wait and when to heal blisters. If you have more serious symptoms, you may need to go to the hospital to be treated. You could be offered a vaccine as well.
Treatment in the UK is confidential. The staff at these clinics will try to get in touch with people who have been in close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with the disease. Sexual health services in the UK have been affected by budget cuts over the last twelve years.
If you have any symptoms, avoid having sex with people. Before having sex, it is a good idea to talk to your sexual partner about any of the symptoms you may have recently.
This is not uncommon but it is just about being sensible. Just send a text with a picture of the symptoms and say "hey, just to let you know, I haven't had any of these recently."
It is more important to do this if you are in a social network that is most affected by the virus. It is not very common among sexually active gay and bi men. If you host an event, you could ask people to stay away if they have any symptoms of monkeypox. If we suspect we have Covid symptoms, we do the same thing. Accepting a vaccine is probably a good idea.
Condoms and non-penetrative sex may not be as effective as they could be for preventing monkeypox. These steps may offer some protection since we don't know how it's transmitted.
All of us could be taking these kinds of precautions as well. All of the illnesses and harms that we can be causing are related to safer sex. Let's communicate with each other sensibly. There is more information on how to talk about safer sex.
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