Reportedly, the Biden administration intends to select a monkeypox coordinator as the virus continues to spread across the United States and becomes a worldwide public health disaster.
The proposal was initially revealed by The Washington Post, citing unidentified sources.
In light of almost 3,400 confirmed cases across the United States, the government is still contemplating whether to declare a public health emergency.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 18,000 cases of monkeypox have been documented globally, with the United States having the most.
The designation of a monkeypox coordinator – or “czar” – would follow Saturday’s declaration by the World Health Organization that the viral epidemic constitutes a worldwide public health emergency.
According to a committee organized by the United Nations, 98 percent of those infected are “men who have intercourse with males.”
Some U.S. health authorities believe that designating monkeypox a public health emergency will result in a more effective response, including prevention and treatment, whilst others contend that the declaration would be purely symbolic and ineffectual.
Other officials dispute if a public health emergency should be proclaimed for a virus that has not killed a single American and affects a limited population.
Authorities announced that the emergency declaration will be issued this week alongside an announcement on the delivery of 800,000 vaccines.