Josh Boke and Chris Megerian, Associated Press, published on Sunday, May 22, 2022, 3:58 PM EDT
PYONGTAEK, South Korea (AP) – President Joe Biden said Sunday that the latest cases of monkeypox that have been identified in Europe and the United States are something to worry about.
In his first public comments about the disease, Biden added: “This is a concern, because if it spreads, it will be subsequent.”
The president was asked about the disease as he spoke to reporters at Osan Air Force Base in South Korea, where he visited troops before flying to Japan to continue his first trip to Asia as president.
“They haven’t told me the level of exposure yet, but it’s something everyone should be concerned about,” Biden said. He added that work was under way to determine which vaccine could be effective.
Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, told reporters on a flight to Tokyo that the United States had a supply of “a vaccine that is important in treating monkeypox.”
“We have a vaccine available to deploy for this purpose,” he said. Sullivan said Biden was receiving regular updates on the epidemic.
Smallpox is rarely identified outside of Africa, but as of Friday, there were 80 confirmed cases worldwide, including at least two in the United States and another 50 suspects. On Sunday, an alleged case of monkeypox was also investigated in Broward County, South Florida, which state health officials said appeared to be linked to international travel.
Although the disease belongs to the same viral family as smallpox, its symptoms are milder. People usually recover within two to four weeks without having to be hospitalized, but sometimes the disease is fatal.
Megerian reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville of Washington contributed to the report.
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