Stigma against gay, bisexual men could worsen Congo’s biggest mpox outbreak, scientists warn

 | 
12/28/2023

KINSHASA, Congo—As Congo copes with its biggest outbreak of mpox, scientists warn discrimination against gay and bisexual men on the continent could make it worse. In November, the World Health Organization reported that mpox, also known as monkeypox, was being spread via sex in Congo for the first time. That is a significant departure from previous flare-ups, where the virus mainly sickened people in contact with diseased animals. Mpox has been in parts of Central and West Africa for decades, but it was not until 2022 that it was documented to spread via sex; most of the 91,00 people infected in approximately 100 countries that year were gay or bisexual men. In Africa, unwillingness to report symptoms could drive the outbreak underground, said Dimie Ogoina, an infectious diseases specialist at the Niger Delta University in Nigeria.

Share this:

Latest Global News

Added on: 11/20/2024
11/19/2024
The police chief in Germany’s capital is urging Jews and gay people to “be vigilant” while traversing certain Arab-majority neighborhoods, warning many of them …
Added on: 11/20/2024
11/19/2024
Los Angeles officials on Tuesday moved to cement the city and its schools as sanctuaries for immigrants and LGBTQ youth as the city positions …
Added on: 11/20/2024
11/19/2024
The top court in the European Union has started hearing a case that marks a major confrontation between Hungary and the bloc over a …

Explore LGBTQ+ Issues

Other News from ,

Added on: 11/18/2024
Mali is on the brink of passing a law that would jail people for engaging in same-sex relations, condoning same-sex relationships, or “promoting” homosexuality. The …
Added on: 11/17/2024
A record number of asylum seekers claiming to be gay have been allowed to stay in Britain under ECHR rules. The number of asylum …
Added on: 11/15/2024
Cape Town, South Africa – The first-ever International Pride Awards today honoured five remarkable advocates for LGBTIQ+ equality, celebrating them during a ceremony hosted …