A new survey from the Annenberg Public Policy Center reveals that 1 in 5 Americans are worried about contracting the monkeypox virus.
Monkeypox has been detected in 75 countries, and the United States alone has reported more than 4,000 cases of the virus, which derives from the family of smallpox.
The symptoms of monkeypox include: Headache, fever, and a rash that resembles pimples or blisters on the face, inside the mouth, and other parts of the body.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the rash often has a timeline of 2-4 weeks, and typically heals in full.
Spain currently leads the world in monkeypox cases, but CDC officials anticipate the U.S. surpassing Spain in total cases — given the size of America (compared to Spain) and a recent ramp-up in monkeypox testing.
The CDC warns the monkeypox numbers referenced above could be undercounts, both nationally and globally.
Unlike the coronavirus, monkeypox is not a novel virus.
As Newsmax noted two weeks ago, monkeypox infections attributed to New York City were overwhelmingly being found in men — with more than half of the documented cases involving those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or queer.
However, that doesn't necessarily mean the virus has been isolated within the LBGQ community. (Note: Transgender people were not included in the most recent data report.)
"It is important to note that anyone who has close contact with someone who is infectious can catch monkeypox, regardless of their sexual orientation. It is wrong to stigmatize anyone," the World Health Organization said in a statement.
According to the NYC Health data, there are more than 12,000 worldwide cases of monkeypox.
Also, as of last week, every confirmed case of monkeypox in New York City — America's largest concentration of infections — included an age range of 20-69, with 35 being the median age.
According to The Hill, monkeypox can spread through direct contact with infectious rash, scabs or bodily fluid. It can also spread through "prolonged, face-to-face contact or during intimate physical contact — like kissing, cuddling or sex."
Pregnant women can also spread monkeypox to their fetus, reports The Hill.
Vaccine distribution for monkeypox is generally limited to those who have been in close contact with a known case of the virus, or people "who are aware" that one of their recent sexual partners has been diagnosed with monkeypox.
Data collection for the Annenberg survey was conducted from July 12-July 18, 2022, among a sample of 1,580 respondents in English (1,548) and Spanish (32). The web total respondents were 1,541 and there were 39 telephone respondents. Data were weighted to represent the target U.S. adult population.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.