Monkeypox explained: What this rare disease is, where it’s spreading, why it’s called that

This electron microscope image shows mature, oval-shaped monkeypox virions (left) and spherical immature virions (right) obtained from a sample of human skin associated with a 2003 prairie dog outbreak. (Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Russell Regner / CDC via AP)

Health authorities in Europe, North America, Israel and Australia have identified more than 100 cases of monkeypox in recent days.

They say the risk to the general population is low. But they’re keeping close tabs because, for the first time, the rare disease appears to be spreading among people who didn’t travel to Africa, where monkeypox is endemic.