Is Monkeypox An STD?

India has so far reported four cases of monkeypox - three from Kerala and one from Delhi. The government of India urged the state authorities to be cautious. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the current monkeypox epidemic a global health emergency. 

The first case of monkeypox was reported in a child in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then Zaire) in 1970.  As of July 22, there have been 16,593 confirmed infections in 68 countries and most of the infections have been reported from Europe. 

According to the reports, many cases of Monkeypox have been reported in men who have sex with men, especially men who have sex with multiple partners. The number of infections is still occurring in men who have sex with men. 

The WHO pointed out, "For the moment this is an outbreak that is concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners." WHO chief Dr Tedros added, "It’s therefore essential that all countries work closely with communities of men who have sex with men, to design & deliver effective information & services, and to adopt measures that protect both the health, human rights & dignity of affected communities."

Here are the Monkeypox Symptoms:

Symptoms like bumps appear on the skin. The other symptoms include fever, body aches, chills, and fatigue. The lesions can be extremely painful.

It is better to stay away from those who have been affected by Monkeypox. 

If monkeypox becomes an endemic sexually transmitted disease then it will be a challenge for health departments.