The Global Outbreak of Monkeypox: Enhancing Public Health Preparedness

Abstract

The monkeypox (MPX) outbreak has been declared a public health emergency by WHO and the U.S. The zoonotic disease with a similar appearance to smallpox named Monkeypox (MPX) has started to reappear and spread globally in recent times although it was endemic to Africa for decades. It has already spread to 88 countries (81 non-endemic) and infected about 30,000 people. Touching an infected individual who has rashes, scabs, body fluids, or lesions on their skin is the most common way to catch and spread monkeypox. The global health system is already substantially exhausted because of the high volume of Covid-19 patients and is unprepared to execute fast response and emergency interventions to combat a new outbreak. Educating general people and health care workers, creating mass awareness, and preparing public health sectors globally are crucial to controlling the MPX outbreak and avoiding another potential pandemic.