Despite the monkeypox virus almost exclusively affecting gay men, the White House said ?every American? should take it seriously

The US administration on Thursday declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency, two weeks after the World Health Organization upgraded its classification of the virus.

Health Secretary Xavier Becerra announced the declaration during a briefing, telling reporters that the White House is urging "every American to take monkeypox seriously." By declaring an emergency, the Biden administration can access more funding to respond to the virus, for example by purchasing vaccine doses or treatments from pharmaceutical firms.

The World Health Organization declared monkeypox a 'Public Health Emergency of International Concern' late last month, a designation one level below the pandemic status assigned to Covid-19. In the US, the cities of San Francisco and New York have already declared public health emergencies over the outbreak, as have the states of New York and Illinois.

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(RT.com)