Top 10 facts Rising monkeypox cases alarm LGBTQ activists
Nearly 60% of those diagnosed with monkeypox in New York City have self-identified as members of the LGBTQ community
NYC has more than 600 cases so far, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Federal and state agencies have been scrambling to supply enough vaccines and treatments for monkeypox as demand grows by the tens of thousands.
On the state level, the group is demanding an expansion of vaccine appointment availability
On the federal level, protestors are calling for large-scale information campaigns about monkeypox testing from the CDC , US
"The federal government must invest in communication about monkeypox testing, treatment, and vaccine availability now," according to a statement from Act Up New York.
LGBTQ groups have been on high alert regarding the rapid spread of cases, saying that the messaging around the circumstances of infection has not been adequately communicated to at-risk communities.
Though demographic data is not yet available for cases across the U.S., nearly 60% of people infected in New York City
However, the sexual orientation of 65% of the infected people is unknown or missing in the data, the European agency said
The CDC says monkeypox can spread, among other ways, through through direct contact with an infectious rash, scab or bodily fluids or via respiratory secretions during prolonged face-to-face contact or intimate physical contact.