The monkeypox outbreak in the US is a public health emergency, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said Thursday. The declaration will open up more funding and resources needed to respond to the outbreak, including vaccines, testing and treatments. It’ll also facilitate more coordination between federal, state and local officials and is expected to loosen other restrictions on health care.
The World Health Organization last month declared the monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency, and some cities and states in the US with more spread of the disease, including California, New York and Illinois, have their own public health emergencies in place. Pressure had been mounting on the Biden administration to do the same for the US.
Monkeypox is a disease that’s similar to smallpox but typically much less severe. It isn’t a new disease, but reports of it in the US and other countries where it doesn’t normally spread are new. There are more than 6,600 cases of monkeypox in the United States, with the outbreak still ongoing.
Vaccines that work against monkeypox exist, as do some medications expected to be effective against the disease. Vaccinating people at higher risk of getting the disease, however, has been difficult because of limited supply of Jynneos, the newer vaccine being shipped out to states.
There haven’t been any deaths reported in the US, but monkeypox can be very painful for some people. Monkeypox mostly spreads from very close contact, like the kind of contact you’d have with a sexual partner or someone you live with. Currently, the vast majority of cases in the US and European countries are in men who have sex with men, though anyone can get the disease.
Resources and services for monkeypox should be provided in a way that protects the health and dignity of impacted communities, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said last month.
“Stigma and discrimination can be as dangerous as any virus,” Tedros said.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
