Monkeypox Cases Rise In Michigan, WHO Declares Public Health Emergency

Michigan health officials have announced today (July 26) there are currently 25 confirmed cases of monkeypox statewide, according to Click on Detroit. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has deemed monkeypox a public health emergency.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), monkeypox is a disease caused by the monkeypox virus. The virus is part of the same family of viruses that cause smallpox. Symptoms of monkeypox are also similar to those of smallpox, though they are often milder. In addition, monkeypox is rarely fatal.

However, the outbreak is spreading rapidly and there is a "clear risk of further international spread," according to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (via NPR). There are currently more than 16,000 cases globally, according to the CDC, and 2,891 of those cases have been confirmed in the U.S. The outbreak is largely among men who have sex with other men or who have multiple sexual partners.

Here's a breakdown of where there have been confirmed cases of monkeypox in Michigan:

• Detroit City: 9 total cases of monkeypox
• Kent: 2 total cases of monkeypox
• Macomb: 5 total cases of monkeypox
• Oakland: 6 total cases of monkeypox
• Washtenaw: 2 total cases of monkeypox
• Wayne: 1 total case of monkeypox