LGBTQ center says dept. of health’s monkeypox findings are ‘unfair’ and ‘creating more stigmatizing language’ – WPBF West Palm Beach

The monkeypox virus is not the only disease spreading in Florida, but there is also an outbreak of meningococcal disease as well.The Florida Department of Health reports that there have been 48 cases of meningococcal disease so far this year, compared to 27 all of last year. Twelve people have died from the meningococcal disease this year.The Florida Department of Health says the vaccine for meningococcal disease is already widely available and symptoms of the disease include high fever, headache, stiff neck, a red and purple rash and nausea. The department says people should seek medical attention if they’re experiencing any of these symptoms.The Florida Department of Health reports that the majority of monkeypox and meningococcal disease cases in the state are among gay and bisexual men.”If you look at the data for monkeypox and meningococcal disease, as well as the demographics, it is affecting predominantly the MSM community,” Dr. Ulyee Choe, director of the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County said during a virtual conference this week. “The vast majority, almost all of the cases, have been from the MSM community.However, Choe also said everyone is at risk of contracting these illnesses.”It is a communicable disease and anyone is susceptible who has come in contact with a confirmed individual,” Choe said.Choe said the department cannot share exact numbers regarding how many patients are gay or bisexual men.The Florida Department of Health confirms neither monkeypox nor meningococcal disease is a sexually transmitted disease. The department also says it is doing targeted outreach and working on getting vaccines to the people at the highest risk of contracting these illnesses.Currently, the vaccine for meningococcal disease is widely available, but there are only 25,000 doses of the monkeypox vaccine in the state. The state of Florida can only secure more monkeypox vaccine doses from the federal government, and Florida Department of Health leaders say they are currently working to secure additional doses.The Compass Community Center, an LGBTQ center in Lake Worth, says the Florida Department of Health’s statistics is causing harm to already marginalized communities.”I think that that is an unfair statement placed on the LGBTQ community and gay and bisexual men, only because both meningitis and monkeypox are not a sexually transmitted disease,” said Julie Seaver, executive director of the Compass Center. “They’re transmitted through respiratory tracts, skin to skin contact, and it’s just unfair and it’s just creating more stigmatizing language around the gay and bisexual male community.”(These illnesses are) a cause for concern, not just for the gay community but all communities.”Florida Department of Health responds”We are going to tell the truth and we can’t have the fear of stigma get in the way of making sure that this community is safe.”The Florida Department of Health also points to this study by the New England Journal of Medicine, which finds that 98% of people infected with monkeypox were gay and bisexual men.