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Residents of New York and Virginia shared their level of concern about monkeypox after the World Health Organization declared the virus a global health emergency.
“Sometimes I feel like there’s a lot of fear going on,” Charity, of Virginia, told Fox News. “They’re trying to scare us.”
But another Virginia resident, Letitia, said monkeypox is “definitely something to worry about.”
“If you touch someone who’s had monkeypox and they have like a rash or scabies, it can be transmitted that way, or you touch maybe something that they’ve touched, it can be transmitted that way,” Letitia said. – This is scary.
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Letitia of Virginia says there is definitely cause for concern about the monkeypox virus. (Jon Michael Raasch/Fox News Digital)
US cases have risen to more than 3,500 — with the majority in New York — since the first case was confirmed in May, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Monkeypox, like smallpox, causes a purulent rash, fever, and aches. Children and immunocompromised people tend to experience more severe cases.
“The fact that [the WHO] announced that the critical mass level is very scary,” said Greg from Virginia. “I’m looking forward to how we should better prepare for this and whether it’s mask time again.”
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In this illustration taken on May 23, 2022, test tubes labeled “Monkeypox virus positive and negative” are seen. (Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo)
Charity, from Virginia, told Fox News: “I got COVID-19 and I thought I was really probably going to die because of the way they made it look.”
“When I had COVID-19, it wasn’t really that bad, so it’s probably the same situation,” she continued.
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The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has killed more than one million people in the US since January 2020, according to the WHO.
A Virginia charity says there has been a lot of fear surrounding COVID-19. (Jon Michael Raasch/Fox News Digital)
Leila – born with co-morbidities – said she was moderately concerned about contracting monkeypox, but people should respect those who are afraid.
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“I want to take it seriously,” Leila said. “But seeing as how I first heard about it two months ago and it hasn’t grown the same way as COVID-19, I’m not going to say I’m going to avoid going everywhere and just stay locked up in my house because of it.”
A New York resident said she “doesn’t have much energy left to worry” after enduring more than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I mean, I wouldn’t want to get it, but I’m not doing anything not to get it,” she said.
Megan Myers reported from New York and John Michael Raasch reported from Alexandria, Virginia.
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