The gay dating app Grindr released a warning to users in Europe amid the monkeypox virus outbreak, which has disproportionately affected the LGBTQ+ community, The Telegraph reported.
According to Breitbart, Grindr is now also preparing a similar message for its users in the United States.
Continental users were directed to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control's website on monkeypox, while British users were pointed toward official guidance from the country's Health Security Agency.
U.K. chief medical adviser Dr. Susan Hopkins said that the disease is primarily "transmitted through close contact, and sex is definitely close contact."
"We need people who have new sex partners of all sexualities and all genders to be aware. If you find new spots, ulcers, or blisters, come forward for a test," Hopkins said. "Our teams will work with you confidentially to ensure close contacts are aware, and you are monitored carefully."
Contact tracing efforts from U.K. authorities are now being carried out in the British Isles, with a vaccine for the disease being made available for those who have yet to show symptoms.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has reported 118 confirmed cases of the virus within the European Union as of Wednesday, with the U.K. reporting 79 total cases.
"The clinical presentation is generally described to be mild, with most cases presenting with lesions on the genitalia or peri-genital area, indicating that transmission likely occurred during close physical contact during sexual activities," said the European agency.
"This is the first time that chains of transmission are reported in Europe without known epidemiological links to West or Central Africa," the organization continued. "These are also the first cases worldwide reported among [gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men]."
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.