Ever since the World Health Organisation declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern on August 14, conspiracy theories have started circulating on social media just as they did during COVID-19 pandemic- from claims of Bill Gates being behind the spread of the infection and that this is another 'plandemic,' to claims that the virus has been engineered in a lab.

The First Check team looked at these claims closely and here is what we found.

CLAIM #1

Billionaire Bill Gates created the mpox, and is spreading it to make a profit.

FACT:

There is no evidence to suggest that Bill Gates created the virus or is spreading it.

Social media is filled with claims alleging that Bill Gates is behind the creation and spread of mpox.  The allegations go something like this – Bill Gates, who has emerged as the principal target of the vicious online attacks, has allegedly created the virus and will now roll out the vaccine for it, thereby adding to his bottom line.

Many say that the World Health Organisation is just a “puppet” in the hands of Bill Gates and he made them announce that the mpox is a global health emergency.

The conspiracy theorists point out he is the largest private donor to the WHO, and stands to benefit from every health crisis due to his vaccine patents.

“Bill Gates gives to WHO, they did the Mpox, and they have the cure! how convenient is that, and Bill Gates, makes billions while the US tax payers pay for the whole world to get the new vaccine. just watch,” a Facebook user posted.

Some allegations are even more sinister-- that Gates is using chemtrails at secret underground plans and it was exposed by a whistleblower working over there.

This video on Rumble claims that "a senior scientist has bravely broken her silence to reveal a covert operation known as “Project Skypox” which involves spraying a highly contagious variety of aerosolized monkeypox over unsuspecting civilian populations with a view to causing a new pandemic and rolling out a punishing regime of vaccines and restrictions."

Another Facebook post wonders if Gates would ever be sent to prison for his alleged 'crimes.'

The conspiracy theories have given fuel to anti-vaccine forces as they are also asking people not to vaccinate.

These are reminiscent of COVID era conspiracy theories, that similarly targeted Gates and accused him of being behind the emergence of the virus.

Needless to say, these claims have been unsubstantiated, without evidence, and false.

The mpox is a virus that was first discovered in monkeys kept for research in Denmark, in 1958. The first reported case of mpox infecting people was in 1970, when Gates was all of 15 years of age. So claims suggesting that the virus was created by Bill Gates is without evidence.

There is also no evidence to show that Bill Gates has been spreading the virus. While social media conspiracy theorists claim that a 'whistleblower' has 'exposed' the plans, no credible media organisation has reported on it. If in reality, there was any truth to claims of such a 'whistleblower,' the headlines would have been dominated by the explosive claims.

CLAIM #2

The mpox is another 'plandemic.'

FACT:

Mpox is a viral illness cased by the monkeypox virus

'Plandemic' was a term that had become part of the everyday lexicon during the COVID era, especially after a multi-part video, titled 'Plandemic' and produced in a documentary style, went viral. The insinuation was that the pandemic was planned, and that it was fake.

The term is now being used again while discussing the mpox infection surge. This video by a Dr Biswaroop Roy Chowdhury, a popular online figure who reportedly has no medical qualification, calls the monkeypox the second 'plandemic.' He describes mpox as money pox and claims it is aimed at starting another round of mass scale vaccination.

The video is no longer available on YouTube, but an archived version of it can be found here.

In the video, which First Check has debunked in detail earlier, he claims that the pictures shared by "propaganda media" of people afflicted by the virus were old, mpox is no different from skin conditions like smallpox and chickenpox that have been around for years and that panic is being created as an excuse to push vaccines.

These claims are without evidence. According to the World Health Organisation, mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus.

They have asserted that mpox continues to be a threat today, and an upsurge of cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries has raised concern. They also advise people to consider taking a vaccination, along with other public health interventions, to help protect against the viral illness that causes a skin rash or mucosal lesions which can last 2–4 weeks accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.

CLAIM #3:

Mpox is a new lab grown virus

FACT:

The monkeypox virus is not new; it was first discovered in 1958. Cases have been reported since 1970

The origins of the COVID virus has been highly contested, with a section claiming that it was a lab grown virus that was leaked, deliberately or otherwise- eventhough there has been no credible evidence to back the claims.

Similar theories are now prevalent about mpox. A Facebook user called the virus "The newest lab grown thing of the week."

However, these claims are without merit, as the monkeypox virus has been around for years, and is not a "new" virus. As mentioned earlier, the monkeypox virus was first discovered in 1958 in monkeys kept for research in Denmark, and the first reported human infection was in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Since then, mpox cases have been reported sporadically in parts of Africa, and we have seen outbreaks in different parts of the world. For instance, there was an outbreak in the US in 2003.

Also read: FACT CHECK: Did Kamala Harris admit that COVID was a lab grown virus? - First Check