Stigma against gay men could worsen Congo's biggest mpox outbreak, scientists warn

African scientists warn that discrimination against gay and bisexual men on the continent could make an mpox outbreak in Congo worse. Last month, U.N. officials confirmed that a more severe form of mpox was spreading via sex for the first time in Congo. In previous flare-ups, the virus mainly sickened people in contact with diseased animals. Experts say the stigma against gay communities is driving the disease underground. And they say mass vaccine campaigns, like the ones used to curb mpox in rich countries last year, are unlikely to be successful in Africa, for several reasons.