The World Health Organization on Saturday declared the monkeypox outbreak, which has spread to over 70 countries, a global health emergency.
The announcement comes just one day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced two pediatric cases of monkeypox, and as cases continue to climb in some of the largest US cities such as New York and Washington, DC.
The declaration by the United Nations health agency means the outbreak is an "extraordinary event" that requires a more robust global response, but the declaration itself appears to be more of a plea to the globe, according to The Associated Press. It may spur countries to allocate more resources for monkeypox treatment as leaders press but it may also increase demand for the limited number of vaccines available, the outlet reported.
A total of 74 nations have detected 16,836 cases of the virus, according to CDC data as of July 22. Of the 74 countries with cases, 68 of them "have not historically reported monkeypox," according to the CDC.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, warned earlier this month that monkeypox is "something we definitely need to take seriously."
"We don't know the scope and the potential of it yet, but we have to act like it will have the capability of spreading much more widely than it's spreading right now," Fauci told CNN.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
