Monkeypox falsely claimed to be shingles

CLAIM:

Monkeypox is simply a new name for shingles.

CONCLUSION:

This is false and is out of context. Though shingles and monkeypox share some similarities in symptoms and transmission, they are completely different viruses that require vastly different treatments.

FULL REPORT

Just as the world is coming to grips with COVID-19, and interest around the two year long global event teeters off, a new virus is becoming widely known.

Monkeypox, first discovered in 1958, is going global and is now being used as a vehicle for misinformation. It is a zoonotic disease (transmitted to humans from animals) usually linked to Central and West Africa.

In the final part of our monkeypox fact check, we investigate the various claims that are being spread about this virus and resolve its veracity.

MONKEYPOX ISN’T JUST SHINGLES

Faqcheck Lab has found misinformation surfacing in closed chat groups about monkeypox being referred to as “shingles”.

This narrative has been debunked multiple times by fact checkers around the globe. [AP, Reuters, DW, AAP]

Even though monkeypox and shingles appear to be alike in their transmission and symptoms, they are altogether different.

The following table is a brief summary of their similarities and differences.

‍