Could monkeypox become a pandemic? Here's everything you need to know
New ScientistJUL 2022
Leaders of the global public health community need to recognize that this virus is reaching pandemic territory and we are in danger of repeating the same mistakes from the battle with COVID. It's time to step up testing, surveillance, and vaccination to end this outbreak.
This is no cause for alarm. No Americans have died from the virus. Monkeypox isn't highly transmissible, and we have all the tools to contain and snuff out an outbreak - including well-stocked vaccines and antivirals in the US national stockpile. We should focus our attention on more pressing issues.
Welcome to the "Pandemicene" era of Earth's history. By completely rewiring the globe's network of animal viruses, human-caused climate change is creating a new age of dangerous diseases. This worrying future is already here and will be difficult to address.