The Greater Dayton LGBTQ Center Takes Lead in Community To Educate on Risk Factors of Monkeypox for All

With so many concerns about a virus that is much in the news, we wanted to bring you the real facts on hMPVX.

WHAT: The World Health Organization has declared (hMPVX)/Monkeypox a World Health Emergency.
The community of Montgomery County should know that: Monkeypox is a rare disease and, while many people affected in the current global outbreaks identify as gay or bisexual, monkeypox can spread to anyone through close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact including
• Direct contact with monkeypox rash, sores, or scabs from a person with monkeypox.
• Contact with objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels), and surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox.
• Contact with respiratory secretions, through kissing and other face-to-face contact. This contact can happen in certain social and sexual situations including
• Hugging, massage, and kissing.
• Oral, anal, and vaginal sex or touching the genitals of a person with monkeypox
• Touching fabrics and objects that were used by a person with monkeypox and that have not been disinfected, such as eating utensils, cups, bedding, towels, clothing, fetish gear, and sex toys. Monkeypox is not spread through casual conversation or someone simply walking by, for instance. While there are currently no known cases of monkeypox in Montgomery County, individuals can help limit the spread of the disease by:
• Washing your hands often with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• Avoiding close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like monkeypox.
• Not sharing eating utensils or cups with a person with monkeypox.
• Not handling or touching the bedding, towels, or clothing of a person with monkeypox
• Staying home and contacting your healthcare provider if you:
feel sick o have a fever, chills, or swollen lymph nodes,
have a new or unexplained rash, which may look like pimples, blisters, or sores Additional information and resources, including why it is important to speak about monkeypox in a way that is free from stigma can be found at monkeypox web site