According to Anna Popova, the head of the Russian consumer watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, Russia has nothing to fear from mpox (also known as 'monkeypox'). Due to the embrace of "traditional values" in the country, mpox will not spread among Russians, according to Popova.

“Considering the peculiarities of the ways it spreads, I’m absolutely sure that [mpox] is not dangerous or scary as an epidemic in Russia with its traditional values.”

With this statement, Popova seems to suggest that mpox only spreads among homosexuals, based on the fact that two years ago, there was an outbreak of mpox among homosexuals who had attended the Belgian fetish festival Darklands. This overlooks the fact that anyone can contract the disease, regardless of sexual orientation. Moreover, the current spread of the new mpox variant is not linked to an outbreak among men who have sex with men.

Nevertheless, the Russian watchdog does not seem concerned and considers "traditional values" to be the best medicine against mpox. The WHO, on the other hand, is very concerned about the current outbreak, particularly in Africa. WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said last Wednesday that "a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives."