A TikToker who contracted monkeypox is receiving threats against his life after posting videos of him going on fast food runs and discussing an invitation to go the club while infected.
Duane Cali of Los Angeles can be seen with his face and arms covered in lesions as he vents on the social media app about “all these outlandish threats,” adding that he feels “like he can’t even go out.”
It’s unclear as to when he contracted the illness. However, it typically lasts for two-to-four weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Those who contract the virus are supposed to keep away from close contact with others to prevent the spread of the disease.
“I got invited out to the club tonight, but people making all these outlandish threats … I feel like I can’t even go out. That s— really not cool at all,” he said in a new clip posted over the weekend, still showing evidence of the outbreak on his face that appears to be healing.
@duanecali LET ME GO OUT IN PEACE…. 😒 #fyp #chill #itsnotthatdeep #duanecali #africa #uk #china #nigeria #losangeles #newyork
TikToker With Monkeypox Filmed Going Through McDonald’s, Burger King Drive-Thru
The now-viral Cali insists he was still thinking about the health of others as well as himself following several drive-thru trips to a local McDonald’s and Burger King in his home state of California, where officials have declared a state of emergency regarding the viral disease.
“It’s not an either-or thing. You can care about others while simultaneously caring about yourself. Do what’s best for you as long as you’re not harming anyone. I didn’t harm anyone. I was very responsible in the process of doing what was best for me,” he captioned another clip.
@duanecali Replying to @long.dong.ting NOT AT ALL!! #pandemic #imoutside #fyp #chill #relax
RadarOnline reports that he posted two videos over the past week which led to the widespread backlash, with one showing him casually drinking a McDonald’s beverage in his car, and another where he could be seen sipping from a Burger King cup.
Cali attempted to quell the naysayers by informing them he used contactless Apple Pay to purchase his food after being shamed for not ordering through UberEats, GrubHub or Instacart.
He said that he didn’t have any groceries at home, and that “no one is going to tell me what to do with my day, period.”
TikToker Called Clout-Chaser For Promoting Music Amid Monkeypox Controversy
The TikToker added that he believes people are “enraged” because it’s the “popular thing to do, and that many are just hopping on the bandwagon.
Meanwhile, Cali has also been criticized for attempting to promote his music amidst the viral controversy, with some accusing him of using the situation to seek clout.
He said that for those that criticize him, he doesn’t “want your support” and added that many will not listen to his music regardless.
“If you not real within, I don’t want your support. It’s fragile. [I don’t care] about your empty opinion,” he wrote via a new TikTok.
@duanecali Replying to @itscleoszn NOOO POLICEEE #dojacat #duanecali #fyp #chooseyourself
California Declared State Of Emergency Over Monkeypox, Cases More Than Doubled Over Last Two Weeks
KTLA reports there are now over 1,100 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Los Angeles County and surrounding areas, with that figure more than doubling over the last two weeks.
However, a health officer noted “the risk of infection in the general population continues to remain very low,” per RadarOnline.
On Tuesday, San Diego County announced it will be distributing 700 more vials of monkeypox vaccine, and that it’s expecting another 990 vials of the vaccine from the state in the coming weeks, according to NBC San Diego.
Monkeypox causes fever, headache, body aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash. The rash begins as flat spots that turn into bumps, which then fill with fluid. Some people also develop spots that look like pimples or blisters before having any other symptoms, the CDC reports.