Monkeypox has been declared a global health emergency by The World Health Organisation. It comes as first cases of monkeypox in children have been identified in the US as well as 14,000 cases in more than 70 countries.
It's the highest alarm they can sound - only Coronanvirus and Polio have also been given the status of a public health emergency of international concern.
Members of the WHO were split on whether the outbreak amounted to a global health emergency, but the agency’s director-general issued the maximum alert on Saturday.
The WHO held a news conference at 1pm on Saturday to announce the decision.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: "I have decided that the global monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern,"
LIVE: Media briefing on #monkeypox with @DrTedros https://t.co/2DkNE1eeoU
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) July 23, 2022
The virus spreads through close contact and causes lesions and flu-like symptoms. There are already effective treatments and vaccines for monkeypox, but they are in short supply.
