Pride: Health official’s warning to LGBT community over weekend as monkeypox infections soar
Members of the LGBT+ community are being urged to stay vigilant to the threat of Monkeypox during this weekend’s Pride march.
The UK Health Security Authority (UKHSA) has reported a significant spike in the number of cases of the infection, with gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men at higher risk.
There have been 1,235 cases reported as of Thursday, ups from 1,076 reported on Tuesday.
This comes as up to 1.5m will attend events in the capital this weekend to mark the Pride march, celebrating LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) communities.
With the virus more prevalent among the community, the UKHSA urged participants to enjoy the event “safely”, and stay away if they have any symptoms.
Wendi Shepherd, monkeypox incident director at UKHSA, SAID: ‘The monkeypox outbreak continues to grow. Our investigations and information from confirmed cases continue to show that the overwhelming majority of cases are in gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men.”
“This weekend, let’s enjoy Pride safely – before you go to any events or parties, check yourself for blister-like spots and rashes. Please don’t attend if you have monkeypox symptoms or feel unwell.”
“If you have a rash or blisters, stay at home, phone a sexual health clinic, and get tested. Please be vigilant for any monkeypox symptoms in the coming weeks – especially if you are having sex with someone new.”
‘To assist with our contact tracing, we encourage everyone to ensure they exchange contact details with sexual partners, to help us limit further transmission where cases occur.”