Democratic hopeful for Texas Governor Beto O’Rourke announced via Twitter on Aug. 28, 2022, that he had to postpone upcoming events due to a bacterial infection. Shortly after the announcement, social media users speculated that he instead had monkeypox, but presented no evidence to substantiate their claims.
In a statement published via Twitter on Aug. 28, O’Rourke wrote that he had been diagnosed with a bacterial infection: “After feeling ill on Friday, I went to Methodist Hospital in San Antonio where I was diagnosed with a bacterial infection. The extraordinary team there — from custodians to nurses and doctors — gave me excellent care and attention, including IV antibiotics and rest” (here).
Following O’Rourke’s statement shared online, users speculated that he had contracted monkeypox.
One user said on Twitter: “How did Beto get monkeypox??” (here).
Another user shared an image of O’Rourke with text printed across the photograph that reads: “Texas gov candidate Beto O’Rourke diagnosed with ‘bacterial infection,’ says he will be ‘resting at home’.” The headline printed across the upper-third of the image reads: “Probably Monkeypox” (here).
Other examples of the claim shared online can be found (here) and (here).
The claims and speculation do not cite a source, and a spokesperson for O’Rourke told Reuters that the claims are inaccurate: “The claims are false. Doctors diagnosed Beto with a bacterial infection, which they treated with antibiotics. His symptoms continue to improve and he will be back on the road as soon as he is able.”
Monkeypox is not a bacterial infection; it is caused by a virus that belongs to the larger viral family known as poxviridae, and the subgroup, or genus, known as poxviruses, with 12 species, including smallpox and cowpox (here).
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), treatments available for monkeypox include several antiviral drugs, as well as immune globulin (here).
According to the Merck Manual, a monkeypox diagnosis can lead to an individual being more likely to develop other infections, with some going on to develop bacterial infections in the skin and lungs (here).
Reuters has previously addressed the false narrative that monkeypox can only be transmitted among men who have sex with men (here).
Per the CDC, monkeypox can be transmitted through close contact, including touching surfaces that have previously been used by someone with monkeypox, contact with their respiratory secretions, or by sexual contact with an individual with the virus (here).
No evidence. Beto O’Rourke’s spokesperson told Reuters that the Democratic candidate for Governor fell ill from a bacterial infection, not monkeypox.
This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work here .
for-phone-only for-tablet-portrait-up for-tablet-landscape-up for-desktop-up for-wide-desktop-up