Thursday 23 June 2022 10:45 PM Florida records 24 meningococcal disease cases and 6 deaths among gay and ... trends now
The CDC is warning of a historic, highly deadly, outbreak of meningococcal disease affecting gay and bisexual men in Florida.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 24 men have contracted the disease, resulting in at least six deaths, in what it describes as 'one of the worst outbreaks of meningococcal disease among gay and bisexual men in U.S. history.'
Meningococcal disease, often the cause of meningitidis, is a rare but highly infectious condition that be spread either via a virus or bacteria. It infects a person's brain and spinal chord.
While the CDC is recommending for gay and bisexual men to get vaccinated against the virus, one health expert tells DailyMail.com that even if someone gets jabbed now they will still not be safe from the disease in time for Pride festivities this weekend.
Ahead of the final weekend of Pride month, Florida officials and the CDC are warning of a 'historic' outbreak of meningococcal disease among gay and bisexual men in the Sunshine state. Pictured: Revelers take pictures at a Pride event on June 18 in Wilton Manors, Florida
It leaves the gay and bisexual community in Florida with another concern heading into a weekend of reveling, as monkeypox has also been found to be traveling through the demographic as well.
Officials have not revealed where in Florida the cases have been found, or if they are even all in the same region.
The time-frame in which they have been detected has not been confirmed either, but statements from officials indicate that they are relatively recent and are tied to Pride festivities.
'Meningitis, by definition is an infection of the protective covering of the spinal cord. It can be caused by a number of different funguses, virus, and bacteria,' Dr Jonathan Appelbaum, chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences at Florida State University, in the state's capital of Tallahassee, told DailyMail.com.
