The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global health emergency for the recent monkeypox outbreak.
This is the most severe classification that can be administered by the global health body and it comes after a rise in global cases.
The WHO made the decisions following the end of the second meeting of their emergency committee that has been set up to deal with the virus.
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Over 16,000 cases have been detected in around 75 countries according to WHO director Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
It has also been confirmed that there have been five deaths as a result of the Monkeypox outbreak, the BBC reports.
The WHO only has two other health emergencies - the attempt to eradicate polio and the coronavirus pandemic.
The decision to label the monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency was not unanimous as not all members of the committee agreed to take the step.
But Dr Tedros said that he felt it was appropriate as the outbreak had spread at pace around the globe.
He added that the modes of transmission which were still not well enough understood.
He said: "The WHO's assessment is that the risk of monkeypox is moderate globally and in all regions, except in the European region, where we assess the risk as high.”
It is believed that there is still too great a risk of the condition spreading around the world - even though the risk of interference with international traffic was seen as low.
The move is hoped to quicken the development of vaccines along with putting in place measures that would tackle the spread of the virus.
Advice will also be given to governments and health providers by the WHO with the aim of protecting those most at risk of catching Monkeypox.
Tedros added: "This is an outbreak that can be stopped with the right strategies in the right groups.”
Monkeypox was first discovered in central Africa in the 1950s.
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