World health organization declared the rapidly spreading outbreak of monkeypox a global health emergency. WHO declared its highest level alert for the evolving outbreak.
More than 16,000 cases have now been reported from 75 countries, said WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
There had been five deaths so far as a result of the outbreak, he added.
"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," he added.
Dr Tedros said the emergency committee had been unable to reach unanimity on whether the monkeypox outbreak should be classified as a global health emergency. However, he said the outbreak had spread around the world rapidly and he had decided that it was indeed of international concern.
“Too little was understood about the new modes of transmission which had allowed it to spread,” said Dr Tedros.
"This is an outbreak that can be stopped with the right strategies in the right groups," Dr Tedros said.