Health authorities worldwide are on alert after cases of monkeypox were recorded in at least a dozen countries, the largest outbreak of the virus outside sub-Saharan Africa since the first human infection was recorded more than 50 years ago.
There were nearly 100 confirmed cases globally, as of May 21, according to the World Health Organization. On Monday, the UK Health Security Agency said it had detected 36 additional cases of monkeypox, bringing the total number of cases confirmed in England since May 7 to 56, the highest total recorded by any country.
Some public health agencies, including in the UK and Belgium, have told those infected and their close contacts to quarantine for three weeks. Governments are also stocking up on smallpox vaccine doses, which also protect against monkeypox, as part of plans to inoculate close contacts.