--- title: "Monkeypox Is Spreading Through Sex, WHO Disease Specialist Says" description: "According to an update by the WHO, 92 cases of monkeypox have now been confirmed. Experts believe that the outbreak is being transmitted sexually." date: "2022-05-23" modified: "2022-05-23" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/monkeypox-sex-disease-specialist" categories: - "Developments" - "Health & Medicine" tags: - "monkeypox" - "sexually transmitted diseases" --- # Monkeypox Is Spreading Through Sex, WHO Disease Specialist Says ![]() *\Image: CDC\* Monkeypox is starting to [spread across much of the world](), alarming doctors and public health authorities. According to an update by the World Health Organization, [92 cases have now been confirmed]() across 12 UN member states that are not endemic for the virus. Health experts are now racing to understand why the disease, which was first identified decades ago, is spreading now. One clue may be the fact that the virus only seems to spread between humans via close physical contact — unlike the coronavirus, which spreads via tiny airborne particles. That's now leading some officials to believe that the outbreak is being transmitted sexually. In fact, many of the confirmed cases were first identified at sexual health clinics, [according to *Reuters*](). "What seems to be happening now is that it has got into the population as a sexual form, as a genital form, and is being spread as are sexually transmitted infections, which has amplified its transmission around the world," infectious disease specialist and WHO official David Heymann told *Reuters*. Officials are also investigating whether the virus is being spread asymptomatically as well. The disease can last for several weeks, with symptoms ranging from fever and muscle aches to chickenpox-like lesions on the skin. It can [even be deadly](), though mortality rates are low. Fortunately, there are several reasons why the situation is not quite as serious as the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. For one, since close contact is required, out-of-control transmission is far less likely. We also have proven ways to treat the disease. "There are vaccines available, but the most important message is, you can protect yourself," Heymann told *Reuters*. **READ MORE:** [WHO expects more cases of monkeypox to emerge globally]() \[*Reuters*\] **More on monkeypox:** *[Joe Biden is Worried About Monkeypox]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()