The World Health Organisation (WHO) says it is working with partners on renaming monkeypox and its variants, and also implementing a system to help distribute available vaccines more evenly, as required.
Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said WHO had published guidelines on vaccination against monkeypox and recommendations for governments concerning case detection and control of the disease.
Addressing journalists in Geneva, WHO smallpox expert Rosamund Lewis, said it was imperative to raise awareness in the population concerning the level of risk and explain the recommendations to avoid infecting close contacts and relatives.
She explained that although the disease sometimes produces only mild symptoms like skin lesions, it could be very infectious for two to four weeks.
Monkeypox is transmitted through close physical contact with an infected person who has the symptoms, especially the rash, fluid, and scabs. The disease could also be spread through infected clothes or objects like eating utensils.
Experts are not certain for now if people who do not have the symptoms can spread the disease.
