Disease outbreak

A swab specimen containing monkeypox virus is labeled ‘Bio Alert’ at the UW Medicine Virology Laboratory on July 12, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. Photo: Karen Ducey (Getty Images)The World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) over the current global outbreak of monkeypox. The declaration comes amid an ongoing rise in cases from dozens of countries this year, including over 2,000 cases reported in the United States.In late June, the WHO convened an advisory committee…

3D illustration of monkeypox virusIllustration: Kateryna Kon (Shutterstock)The New York City Health Department will begin offering the monkeypox vaccine preemptively to men who have sex with men and have had multiple recent partners. Appointments are available as soon as Friday.The agency made the announcement two days before Pride festivities kick off in the city. It had already been collaborating with NYC Health and Hospitals in offering the vaccine to those who were close contacts with someone suspected or confirmed to…

Patient samples being tested for monkeypox in Spain.Photo: Eduardo Parra/Europa Press via AP (AP)Health officials continue to report more outbreaks of monkeypox in the U.S. and elsewhere, while a new analysis suggests that at least two different lineages of the viral illness are circulating around the U.S. These findings make it increasingly less likely that the virus can be stopped completely.As of Friday afternoon, there have been 21 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control…