FACT CHECK: Does This Video Show A Line of People In Nebraska Waiting To Be Tested For Monkeypox?

A post shared on Facebook claims to show a line of people in Omaha, Nebraska, waiting to receive testing for the Monkeypox (Mpox) virus.

Verdict: False

The footage is from a political rally featuring presumptive Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz. While there has been no rise in Mpox cases as of August 2024, there is concern an outbreak could occur in the U.S. after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency.

Fact Check:

The spread of the Clade I strain of the Mpox virus has prompted a wave of “do not comply” conspiracy activists to pre-emptively protest against potential health-related lockdowns that could impact the 2024 U.S. Presidential election, according to Newsweek. Experts have recommended getting vaccinated from Mpox if they are a “high-risk individual,” including men in same-sex relationships, ABC News reported.

The Facebook post appears to show a long line of people outside a building, with a caption suggesting the line was for people to get tested for Mpox. “Huge lines to get tested for monkeypox in Omaha, Nebraska lmfao,” the post’s caption reads.

The caption is false. While the video was taken in Omaha, Nebraska the line is not for an Mpox testing center. Rather, the line is for a political rally featuring Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz that took place Aug. 17, with photos from X and Reddit showing the same building in the background. (RELATED: FACT CHECK: Does This Image Show Justin Trudeau With An Underage Girl?)

I can’t capture a video that does this turnout justice for the Tim Walz rally here in Omaha, NE. #BlueDot pic.twitter.com/1yzWXFQMCC

— John Jankovich (@john_jankovich) August 17, 2024

@Tim_Walz The line to get in to the Omaha Rally! 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/PZ4tIALaih

— Marcus Todd Pitman (@MarcusTPitman) August 17, 2024

Standing in line at the Tim Walz Omaha rally. Mostly woman but lots of dudes. Polling how many were payed to be here. pic.twitter.com/WxFmdD2IPD

— Miles Pearson (@MilesPearson20) August 17, 2024

While there have been no reported cases of Mpox in the U.S. as of the time of publication, experts are suggesting that cases could appear in the country soon and warned citizens to “remain vigilant,” according to NBC News. During the most recent outbreak of Mpox, which occurred between 2022-2023, around 32,000 cases were reported in the U.S. alone, with 58 confirmed deaths from the virus, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published in January 2024.

Experts were also worried about the low vaccination rates in the country, urging those at risk to get vaccinated soon, CNN reported. A report from the CDC following the 2022 outbreak stated, “based on decades of U.S. smallpox research, an FDA-approved test and surveillance network, as well as approved vaccines and therapeutics, were already in place and available to be used for mpox.”

“Assuring continued access to vaccines for persons at increased risk for mpox, increasing second-dose coverage, and closing equity gaps remain important goals to reduce the risk for mpox resurgence in the United States and worldwide, including having an ample supply of vaccine in countries in Africa with endemic disease to rapidly respond to outbreaks,” The CDC report stated at the time.