Monkeypox Cases in Belgium May Be Linked to Fetish Festival: Organizers

Organizers of a fetish festival in Belgium are warning attendees of possible exposure to monkeypox after public health officials linked three cases to the event that recently concluded in Antwerp.

The Darklands Festival posted the notice on its website on Friday, the same day Belgian public health officials confirmed cases of the rare viral disease. The announcement comes amid growing concern from scientists about the spread of monkeypox, which is commonly found in tropical rainforests in Central and West Africa, and is now being reported in Europe.

Darklands is a four-day event catered toward gay men that includes a daytime festival, several nighttime parties, as well as education and shopping that features "an extraordinary selection for fetish retailers at the gear market," according to its website. The festival concluded on May 9.