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Monkeypox is the latest global health emergency. Here's what to know.

By Rachel Pannett, Fenit Nirappil, Meryl Kornfield, Timothy Bella and Lindsey Bever

24 Jul 2022 · 6 min read

Editor's Note

Now that the Monkeypox virus has been declared as a global health emergency, here’s a good explainer on what it is, how it spreads and how it can be prevented.

The World Health Organization has declared monkeypox a global health emergency, as the once-rare virus spreads rapidly in Europe and other parts of the globe.

More than 16,800 cases of monkeypox have been reported in 74 countries this year. Many of those are in places that have never reported monkeypox infections before. In the United States, at least 2,890 cases have been identified, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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