A senior official of the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that monkeypox cases are likely to spread beyond the LGBT community soon.
Dr. Catherine Smallwood, senior emergency officer for the WHO's Europe regional office, issued the warning during her interview with CNBC.
"At the moment, cases continue to be reported among men who have sex with men for the most part. But we should not expect that to remain [as] such," she said.
Smallwood added that the progression of monkeypox is alerting the world to a new disease threat that could spread from the LGBT community to other population groups, comparing it to the proverbial canary in the coal mine. If monkeypox does breach the confines of the LGBT community, she remarked that it could have an "increased public health impact" – especially for those prone to more severe illness.
"It may be that this particular population group, as it is for any new disease spreading, it starts in one community … or one setting, and then it might spread," said the WHO official.
According to Smallwood, public health officials are paying attention to the spread of monkeypox as an emerging pathogen that began in the LGBT community among gay and bisexual men. The monkeypox virus had been endemic in Africa and had spread among animals until the spring of 2022.
The initial outbreak in Europe was connected to large-scale LGBT events in Spain and Belgium in June, alongside pride month celebrations. Disease experts put forward the theory of the monkeypox virus spreading via sexual transmission. Since then, it has spread to more than 75 countries and territories – infecting more than 16,000 and killing five. (Related: WHO declares monkeypox a "global health emergency" with just FIVE deaths in the world and 99% of cases afflicting homosexuals.)
They're trying to scare parents by claiming KIDS are at high risk of monkeypox
The spread of monkeypox prompted WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to declare a public health emergency on July 23.
"I have decided that the global monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern," he said. However, Tedros acknowledged that the outbreak "is concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners."
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that two children in the U.S. caught the monkeypox virus. It added that both children, one from the East Coast and one from the West Coast, were living with adults who hail from the "gay men's community."
"Both of those children are traced back to individuals who come from the 'men who have sex with men' community, the gay men's community," said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky. "While both have monkeypox symptoms, they are in good health."
According to Walensky, both children could have contracted the virus through household transmission. She nevertheless reiterated that they are receiving antiviral treatments for the disease.
The CDC acknowledged the possibility of monkeypox transmission during LGBT pride month celebrations in June, but hesitated in calling for such events to be cancelled. Instead, it sent out guidance to the LGBT community warning of the infectious disease's dangers.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) expressed skepticism over Walensky's revelation about the two monkeypox-infected children. While she did not directly link the spread of monkeypox to pedophilia, she left a question for Americans through a social media post.
Greene tweeted: "If monkeypox is a sexually transmitted disease, why are kids getting it?"
Watch Stew Peters and Dr. Jane Ruby talking about the WHO's July 23 monkeypox public health declaration below.
This video is from the Tanjerea channel on Brighteon.com.
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