LGBTQ community are at higher risk to contract Monkeypox- Dr. Addipa-Adapoe

A member of the Covid-19 management team at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Dr. Emmanuel Addipa-Adapoe, has revealed that over 90% of recovered cases of Monkeypox in the world especially in Europe, the Americas, and other places are members of the LGBTQ.

According to him, monkeypox is on the rise in the LGBTQ community, which was not so previously.

“Now, hitherto, we thought it was just transmitted to humans from animals, and man to man by direct contact through the respiratory droplets and then through contact with the body fluids of those animals or man. Now over 90% of the cases, especially in Europe, the Americas, and other places, unfortunately, members of the LGBTQ+ fraternity are the ones who are getting the infection, and therefore we have had to revise our books to include sexual transmission. Majority of those with Monkeypox right now are men having sex with men.”

His comment comes after WHO declared the viral disease a global health emergency.

Speaking on GTV’s breakfast show, Dr. Addipa-Adapoe also disclosed that the majority of cases in Ghana are men but are yet to be concluded.

“Majority in Ghana as well are men, but we cannot so far conclude on that. We are medical professionals. We have to treat everybody, even if they are, they need help. We would want to let the Public Health Department gather enough evidence and then we can do the percentages. But for now, we can say for sure the age range is between 9 months to 45 years, and that is why we need to brace up and nip it in the bud.”

He explained on Monday, August 1, “the semen is body fluids. And you see, those class of people also report anal inflammation or anorectal inflammation, which gives you an indication that it might have been gotten through sexual contact.”

He added that currently, monkeypox cases are mostly concentrated in Accra.

“Greater Accra happens to be the highest. About 50% of the cases we have recorded so far are in the Greater Accra region. Officially, the latest count was about 34 infections already in Ghana, of which half are in Greater Accra. We have some infections in the Ashanti region, Bono, Bono east, Eastern region, and Upper East.”

“Unfortunately, the one we recorded in the upper east region has passed away. We have a death due to monkeypox infection.”



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