The monkeypox outbreak is hitting men of color the hardest as Black and Latino men now account for more than half of U.S. cases. A statistic that experts claim mirrors the HIV epidemic and exemplifies the long standing racial inequities in America.
In San Francisco, Latino men account for about 30% of monkeypox cases, almost twice their share of the population. While in Santa Clara county, 41% of monkeypox cases were among latino men, who only make up 26% of the county’s population. Black men account for 82% of monkeypox cases in Atlanta but only make up 61.4% of the population.
Although monkeypox isn’t a sexually transmitted disease and can be passed to anyone through close contact, the World Health Organization has revealed that 99% of reported monkeypox cases are among men and atleast 95% of cases are among men that have sex with other men.
Authorities claim that unequitable vaccine distribution is a big part of the problem. In North Carolina, 70% of monkeypox cases are among black men while only 19% of cases are among white men. Yet white men have received 67% of vaccine doses while black men only have received less than 25%.
San Francisco and Santa Clara health officials are making efforts to avoid these inequities by partnering with organizations that serve vulnerable communities. A strategy that proved to be efficient when combating similar trends during the COVID-19 pandemic.