Georgia has the fifth highest cases of monkeypox in the U.S. at 289 cases and 96% of the cases are among gay and bisexual men.
However, Samario Anthony, who lives in Atlanta, says he is gay, but he did not contract the virus by having sex.
According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), monkeypox can also be passed by coming in direct contact with an infected person.
Samario says he got the virus at a card game with some friends on July 10.
He said a member of his friend group had returned from a trip to Mexico the same week they all played cards, and the friend had no indication of lesions on his body at that time.
Samario said his friend group is affectionate, and they hug regularly.
A few days later the friend called complaining about strange bumps on his arms.
By July 14, Samario said he had bumps on his arms as well. He also suffered gastrointestinal issues, swollen lymph nodes, and muscle spasms as the virus progressed.
Samario was diagnosed with monkeypox on July 21 while having routine blood work done at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation Center in midtown.
He said he originally thought they were flea bites from his dog because they were small and didn’t look like the big monkeypox lesions he had seen pictures of.
According to doctors, there is no cure for monkeypox, you just have to let the virus pass through your body, but there are pain meds and topical ointments.
Doctors recommend that an individual diagnosed with monkeypox stays in isolation until the lesions completely heal.
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Please be cautious and do your best to protect yourself and your family from these viruses.
