Jun 16, 2022
As the number of Monkeypox cases grows in the United State and around the world, Trillium Health continues to closely monitor the situation and is committed to sharing important updates with its patients and the community.
While we believe it is important to remain alert and informed, there is no need to panic. Unlike COVID-19, which is airborne, the reported cases of Monkeypox appear to spread by skin-to-skin contact with infected lesions. While there is no specific treatment for Monkeypox, the condition typically goes away by itself within about two weeks.
We also want to address reports about Monkeypox and the LGBTQ+ community. A number of the recent cases worldwide do involve men who have sex with men. Some of those cases involve individuals who traveled to large gatherings overseas or who arranged sexual encounters using mobile “hook-up” apps. We share this information because it is important to understand how the virus can spread and who may be at risk.
That said, we want to be absolutely clear that Monkeypox is not a “gay or LGBTQ+ person’s disease,” and that no one – regardless of sexual orientation or gender – should be stigmatized for getting infected by the virus.
For more information about Monkeypox, please take a look at our video where Dr. William Valenti, Trillium Health co-founder, staff physician, and infectious disease expert answers many common questions.