WHO says monkeypox has been spreading undetected as global cases rise to more than 550

In this photo illustration, a photo of a hand infected with the Monkeypox virus is seen through a magnifying glass. Monkeypox is a viral disease that occurs mainly in central and western Africa.

More than 500 monkeypox cases have been confirmed by the World Health Organization in 30 countries.

The sudden appearance of monkeypox in multiple countries across the world indicates that the virus has been spreading undetected for some time outside the West and Central African nations where it is usually found.

The WHO's monkeypox technical lead, Dr.Rosamund Lewis, says there are no answers yet about how the virus was undetected for months or years.

We don't know if it's too late to contain. Lewis said during a press conference that WHO and all member states are trying to prevent onward spread. She said that tracing and isolating patients who have monkeypox is crucial to stopping the spread.

Tedros said most of the cases have been reported by men who sought care at sexual health clinics after they had sex with other men. He warned against stigmatizing people and said anyone can catch monkeypox through close physical contact.

Tedros said that the disease can be severe in some cases. There have been no deaths reported from the current outbreak. Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's Covid-19 technical lead, said that monkeypox has not spread yet among vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and children.

Lewis said that the WHO has been monitoring monkeypox in Africa for five decades and that deaths are reported on the continent every year. She said more than 70 deaths from monkeypox have been reported across five African countries. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has seen an increase in monkeypox cases in the last few years. Monkeypox is a milder form of the disease.

Collective immunity in the human population is not what it was at the time of smallpox eradication, according to Lewis.

The vaccine reserves of the WHO and member countries are mostly first generation shots that do not meet current standards. The supply of newer generation vaccines and treatments for smallpox is limited. She said that the WHO is working with companies to increase access to new vaccines and treatments.

The WHO does not recommend mass vaccinations. There is no need for mass vaccinations. She said that it was important to give information to the men in the community who had sex with men to prevent the virus from spreading.

The United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal are the countries with the largest monkeypox outbreaks outside Africa. At least 15 cases have been reported in the U.S.

The symptoms of monkeypox are similar to the flu and include a high temperature, headaches, fatigue, and swelling of the lyme. There are infectious diseases on the body. Monkeypox can be spread through skin-to-skin contact. A person is no longer contagious when the skin has a new layer.