Monkeypox: Reduce sexual partners, WHO director general advises at-risk men

WITH the spread of monkeypox growing, medical experts across the world have expressed concerns and now, the chief of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued an advisory for men to avert getting infected.

The advisory is: Reduce the number of sexual partners.

WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said 98 per cent of the monkeypox cases detected since the outbreak emerged in May had been among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with male partners. He called for those at risk of contracting to take urgent steps to protect themselves.

“That means making safe choices for yourself and others, for men who have sex with men,” Tedros was quoted as saying by The Guardian. “This includes, for the moment, reducing your number of sexual partners," he added.

According to the WHO chief, infectious people should isolate themselves and avoid gatherings that involve close physical contact. He also said that people should get contact details for any new sexual partner(s) if they needed to follow up.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, has not suggested that men who have sexual relations with men bring down their number of sexual partners but only avoid skin-to-skin contact with people who have rash that could be a case of monkeypox.

WHO officials have warned that monkeypox could infect anyone who comes in close contact with a patient or their contaminated clothing or bedsheets. It has also said that the disease could be more severe for children or expecting mothers.