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Comment by qbasic_forever | Hacker News Reader

Two weeks notice is pretty bad. All of this is moot though, in a few months they'll be remote again... if not before or delayed again. It's clear that monkeypox is spreading into the mainstream population and becoming a serious pandemic that might require even stricter measures like fomite spread precautions. There will undoubtedly be a back to school related surge and big companies will snap remote again where employees have significant leverage.

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> It's clear that monkeypox is spreading into the mainstream population

My understanding was that 97% of positive cases were in men who have sex with men, but with the huge caveat that only MSM were being widely tested. Have you seen more comprehensive testing data recently?

It's an artifact of undertesting and restricted access to testing. In Nigeria, where the virus is endemic, they clearly have seen and documented its spread via airborne particles to any sex of people for decades now: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01686-z It's silly how quickly people have ignored all the data about it from Africa because it seems to be inconvenient.

The MSM community is the first major non-African cluster just like the Wuhan market was the first major cluster for COVID-19. People saying it's not a threat to the non-MSM community right now were like people who said "oh it won't spread outside China" to COVID-19 in January 2020. The virus doesn't care about your sexual preference. If you have the right cell receptors and come in contact with it, it will attack and infect.

For what it's worth, I replied to you above with numbers showing it's even more MSM than that in CA.

But on testing it feels to me we are making the same mistakes as covid.

I've had this cold/run off gunk for weeks. Longer than what is normal from allergies.

My Dr. told me I need two lesions to get a test.

Which is like saying you need to have been in Wuhan and have severe cold like symptoms.

The pox are pretty unique looking... Especially if you've had recent intimacy.

IDK maybe we sohuld bring back I. Am. Not. An. Epidemiologist (IAMAE) but wouldn't it be better - if our supply is limited - to test people who might have been exposed, so they can quarantine before they get pox and then contact trace.

Probably non-pox spread, but if you have those sores it's pretty noticeable ...

That article does not support what you claim, except stating that the virus is endemic in rats and suspected of being spread through sexual contact. Not really news to anyone who has been following this stuff. It does not mention airborne particles (not that I doubt you: our facility does takes airborne precautions with suspected monkeypox patients)

So back to my original question: have you seen more comprehensive surveillance data for the general population?

As someone who just got their vaccine and in the high risk group: ooof I hope not.

What data points to it being a threat in the 'mainstream' (I don't like that word here) population right now?

here are CA stats [1]; only .8% (mostly identify as cis) female infected.

though it doesn't show demo xtabs over time. so hard to tell if only is growing.

If it spreads through brief contact we'd be screwed..

Let alone if it spreads through droplets and or fomites.

Sad we failed yet again. Especially queer community, and like all things health disproportionally bipoc. seems like we had all the tools & knowledge to stop, or drastically slow, this one but failed.

Seeing photos of pox on people's faces is just truly terrifying.

I really really hope this vaccine works or at least prevents sores like that.

Hard to change behavior to avoid all sex / human touch..

1: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Monkeypox-Da...

Let's not spread FUD. A viral monkeypox (a la Coronavirus) would be way disastrous than the coronavirus itself (people do care more about how they look). There is nothing that suggests that's the case for now. There are also a whole bunch of viruses in Africa (ie: Ebola) that could be worse but they aren't.

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