The Piedmont region’s circular on monkeypox sparks discussion: “Gays and trans are most at risk”

The Piedmont region’s circular on monkeypox sparks controversy

The circular from the Piedmont region on monkeypox, the infectious disease recently declared a “global emergency” by the WHO, is causing controversy.

In fact, the circular indicates the categories most at risk of contracting the virus: “Gay, transgender, bisexual people and men who have sex with men (MSM) who fall within the following risk criteria: recent history (last three months) with multiple sexual partners; participation in group sexual events; participation in sexual encounters in clubs, clubs, cruising and saunas; recent sexually transmitted infection; habit of associating sexual acts with the use of chemical drugs”.

According to the document, therefore, members of the LGBTQ+ community would be more at risk, just as happened in the 1980s with HIV.

Giovanni Di Perri, director of the regional department of infectious diseases and emergencies, declared to The Press to “heavily” disapprove the circular, explaining why.

“The sexual act itself is not the only discriminant. The exchange of humors could act as a vehicle for the virus,” said the doctor who also gave an example: “I think for example of the players of a rugby team who hug each other in the locker room.”