Monkeypox is spreading worldwide — and while it’s not as contagious as Covid, it’s getting the viral treatment

Viral headlines... not corona. Monkeypox is spreading in developed countries — an unusual outbreak of a rare virus typically endemic to central and western Africa, where it's mainly spread by infection from animals. Some 200 cases have been reported across a dozen countries, including the US, Australia, and several European nations.

• What it is: Monkeypox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox, and causes similar fluid-filled skin lesions, but symptoms are typically milder.
• Why it's spreading across continents: Health experts say the random outbreak could’ve spawned from sexual transmission at two recent raves in Europe.
• How it's spreading: Through close contact with an infected person — so far, primarily through sex. Health officials say it might also spread through infected clothes or sheets.

Not new... Monkeypox is well known, having been first detected in humans in the ’70s. President Biden said on Monday that the outbreak isn’t as concerning as Covid, softening his comment from a day earlier that "everybody should be concerned." World Health Organization officials said it’s “containable.”

• Cases have been mild so far, with no deaths reported. Most people recover within weeks without hospitalization.
• Existing vaccines for smallpox have been shown to be effective against monkeypox. Cue: shares of Emergent BioSolutions, which makes an approved smallpox vax, popped 9% yesterday.
• Also: The FDA approved a monkeypox-specific vax from Danish biotech Bavarian Nordic in 2019. Bavarian already cranked out 1.4M doses for the US.