Public health officials across the globe are trying to contain the unusual outbreaks of the monkeypox virus. First identified in the U.S. in May, the virus, which is in the same family as smallpox but causes less severe disease, is endemic in some African countries but is typically not seen in significant numbers outside those locales. This year, most of the cases outside endemic countries have been found in men who have sex with men; the virus is primarily transmitted through skin-to-skin contact or prolonged close contact.
