98% of Monkeypox Cases Are Still Among Gay Men But It’s Fast Moving
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The monkeypox outbreak in the United States is still largely confined to the gay population or MSM (men who have sex with men), but health officials are bracing for the virus’ imminent jump into the general population.
According to the CDC, there are 8,934 cases in the U.S, and 45 of those in the Buckeye State.
While the group currently most impacted by the virus are gay men, health officials warn that it’s not limited to them.
“It’s in the population of men having sex with other men. But I caution us that it doesn’t mean that it can’t jump to other segments of our society, and I’m sure at some point it has,” said Toledo Lucas County Health Commissioner, Eric Zgodzinski. “It’s just circulating in this group because of their social contacts,” said Dr. James Tita, a pulmonary critical care physician with Mercy Health. “What it requires is relatively prolonged close contact with somebody that has a rash.”
