Did the Simpsons predict Monkeypox?

Following the World Health Organization's (WHO) declaration of monkeypox as a global health emergency, social media has seen claims that The Simpsons predicted the disease, similar to past theories suggesting the show foresaw various events.

The video circulating online features scenes from the animated series showing characters with rashes and Homer Simpson alongside monkeys in a cage.

Comments accompanying the video claim these scenes are linked and demonstrate that the show predicted the recent global spread of monkeypox.

However, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP), these claims are inaccurate.

The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 1970, and the disease remained largely confined to about 10 African countries until recently. The Simpsons began airing in 1989.

The scenes used to suggest the show predicted monkeypox are not connected, are taken from episodes spanning several years, and address unrelated topics.