"There's a lot of concern about the rapid increase in these cases."
For decades, the disease was mostly found in Africa, but in 2022 it also started spreading in Europe and North America, including the U.S.
To help slow the spread in Africa, experts say there needs to be more testing to 5detect cases, improved public health messaging. Mpox vaccines and medicine to treat the disease must also be 6readily available.
"7Access to all of these things will certainly be improved with this Public Health Emergency of International Concern Declaration."
The CDC says so far in 2024, a total of 1,122 impacts cases involving the less 8severe 9strain had been reported in the U.S. There have been no cases reported in the U.S. of the deadlier strain 10spreading in Africa.
The agency says the 11anticipated risk of this strain of the disease spreading from Africa to the U.S. general population is very low. But the CDC says it has testing, vaccines and 12therapeutics if the virus does 13circulate here.