Russia liberalized some of its LGBTQ+ laws following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. The center reported that worldwide, 1,882 cases have been confirmed. Russia's sanitary agency, the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing, claimed on June 8 that there are no monkeypox cases in Russia, TASS reported.Īccording to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, 1,158 monkeypox cases have been recorded across 22 EU/EEA countries. However, the reason for a higher proportion among men who have sex with men, is unclear. Therefore, it is easily explained why it may spread among sexual partners.
Monkeypox is mainly transmitted through close, direct contact. Several organizations and campaigners have warned against attaching a stigma to the virus. Monkeypox, however, is not a sexually-transmitted disease.
Ī significant proportion, but not all, of confirmed monekypox cases are among men who have sex with men. Russian microbiologist Alexander Gintsburg told Russian state-run news agency TASS that he was 'afraid' that the recent spread of monkeypox could not be explained by gay sex.
