The Simpsons Did Not Predict Monkeypox in One of Its 2002 Episodes

Misbar investigated the claim and found it to be misleading. The Simpsons did not predict monkeypox in 2002, and the video contains several scenes from different episodes that aired on different dates.

The Truth About ‘The Simpsons’ Predicting Monkeypox

The first scene in the video is from the fifth episode of the 25th season of The Simpsons, titled "Labor Pains," which aired in 2013. It depicts Homer bothering monkeys at the zoo.

The second scene, showing Homer and his daughter getting infected, is from the third episode of the 17th season of The Simpsons, titled "Milhouse of Sand and Fog," which aired in 2005. It depicts Homer contracting chickenpox from his infected daughter, Maggie.

The third scene is from the 15th episode of the second season of The Simpsons, titled "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou," which aired in 1991. This episode focuses on Homer’s half-brother, Herbert Powell.

WHO Declares Emergency After Monkeypox Outbreak

The claim began circulating after WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared a public health emergency of international concern on Aug. 14. This is the highest level of alert under global health law, prompted by the spread of monkeypox from the Republic of Congo to neighboring countries.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared a continental health emergency following the outbreak of the disease at the beginning of the year. More than 17,000 cases and over 500 deaths have been reported across the African continent.

What Is Monkeypox (Mpox)?

This virus-caused infectious disease exhibits symptoms similar to the flu, including fever, chills, and muscle aches. It also features a rash that begins as spots, progresses to fluid-filled blisters, and eventually forms scabs that fall off. The sores may leave scars, but the infection usually resolves on its own within 14 to 21 days.

Monkeypox is classified into two clades: Clade I, also known as the Congo Basin and Central Africa clade, and Clade II, also known as the West African clade. Both clades can be fatal.

In addition to close contact with infected animals such as monkeys, rats, and squirrels, transmission of monkeypox can occur through contact with contaminated objects like clothing and blankets. Skin-to-skin contact, talking, and breathing near an infected person can also lead to the spread of the infection.

A different strain of the monkeypox virus spread globally in 2022, leading the World Health Organization to declare a public health emergency. The outbreak was declared over after 10 months.

The Simpsons

It is an American comedy series produced by Fox and is one of the longest-running shows on television, with 740 episodes across 34 seasons. Created by Matt Groening, it began airing on December 17, 1989, and has grossed approximately $527 million.

The series follows the lives of a family living in the fictional city of Springfield and addresses various social and cultural issues through comedy.

Did ‘The Simpsons’ Predict Major World Events?

With each major global event, rumors and misleading claims often spread on social media, linking the event to The Simpsons series. Many of these claims falsely assert that the show predicted current events.

Misbar has previously verified several claims about The Simpsons predicting real-world events, and numerous reports have been published on these findings. One of these claims was about the collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge.

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