Monkeypox outbreak: Does viral disease spread through gay, bisexual sex? Know what WHO said
The cases of monkeypox are on the rise across the world, and WHO has issued important guidelines to contain the spread of the outbreak.
After the Covid-19 pandemic, a new public health scare surfaced across the globe – monkeypox. Though the disease is displaying mild symptoms in most patients, it is spreading fast in several countries, with over 18,000 cases recorded across the globe.
Now, several experts and medical researchers have issued preventative measures to limit the spread of the monkeypox outbreak across the world, and one of these measures is to indulge in safe sex with proper birth control measures and to limit the number of sexual partners.
This raised a very major question in the heads of those trying to prevent themselves from getting infected – does monkeypox spread through sex? If yes, is it classified as a sexually transmitted disease (STD)?
Does monkeypox spread through sex?
According to a recent advisory issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO), medical experts have advised men indulging in sexual acts with other men – primarily gay and bisexual people – to limit their number of sexual partners and practice safe sex.
As per AFP reports, WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus said, “For men who have sex with men, this includes, for the moment, reducing your number of sexual partners, reconsidering sex with new partners, and exchanging contact details with any new partners to enable follow-up if needed.”
According to recent research carried out by the WHO, 98 percent of the people infected with monkeypox are men, and out of those, 95 percent of the men are those who have sex with other men. To prevent this, the organization has recommended that people limit the number of their sexual partners and try to use contraceptives such as condoms.
Is monkeypox a sexually transmitted disease (STD)?
Though recent studies show that the viral disease can spread through the exchange of bodily fluids, which includes sexual intercourse, there is no clear data that states the main reason behind the spread of the disease.
According to researchers, an STD or STI is a disease that primarily spreads through sexual contact. When it comes to monkeypox, no research has clearly stated that sex is the primary cause of zoonotic disease’s spread.
Therefore, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has not yet specified monkeypox as a sexually transmitted disease.
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