Asked whether the monkeypox outbreak is a global health emergency, Dr Maria Van Kerkhove from the WHO, says "it is a containable situation".

She said it can be particularly contained in countries where outbreaks are happening across Europe and north America right now "but we can't take our eye off the ball on what's happening in endemic countries".

"Transmission is really happening from skin-to-skin contact, most of the people who have been identified have more of a mild disease," she says.

No. Many diseases can be spread through sexual contact - you can get a cough and a cold through sexual contact, but it doesn't mean it's a sexually transmitted disease, says WHO expert Andy Seale.

He says a sexually transmitted disease (STI) is transmitted specifically by sexual contact and you don't need to have sexual contact in order to transmit monkeypox - close personal contact is sufficient.

Image source, Reuters

Monekypox is spread through close contact, for example in social settings or in some cases it can be sexually transmitted, but there is some misinformation on social media surrounding the disease, according to Andy Seale, adviser on HIV, Hepatits and STIs programme.

"We're seeing cases among men who identify as gay, bisexual or other groups in several countries and it's often linked to travel, and it seems clear it's linked to close contact, whether through social contact or possibly sexual contact," he said.

"There's a lot of stigma and discrimination that surround many diseases and the WHO needs to work with our partners to make sure the messaging is correct.

"While we're seeing some cases in men this is not a 'gay disease' and some people and social media have labelled it."

Image source, Reuters

Experts from the World Health Organization have just begun taking the public's questions on monkeypox. So why is it in the news again?

Dr Rosamund Lewis, head of the WHO's smallpox secretariat, says several countries have been reporting monkeypox over the last few years, including Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and Cameroon.

She says the WHO is working closely with those countries.

She says it's usually seen in forested areas, but we're now seeing it in urban areas in Africa - and also now in other places outside Africa.

Philippa Roxby
Health reporter, BBC News

While the World Health Organization event gets underway, we'll take a look at the where Monkeypox cases are being found.

In the UK, 21 people have now been confirmed to have monkeypox. Up until today, all those cases were in England.

The first case in Scotland was announced this morning.

Monkeypox has also been found in 11 other countries, including Spain, Portugal, Canada, United States and Australia.

There are 92 confirmed cases worldwide and another 28 suspected cases, according to the World Health Organization.

The monkeypox virus is often found in large numbers in countries in West and Central Africa. There have been more than a thousand cases in those regions since the start of the year, for example.

But to find it spreading from person to person in Europe and north America, without any travel links to Africa, is very unusual.

As a result, health officials say case numbers are likely to increase.

The good news is that monkeypox is usually mild and goes away in a few weeks.

But for children and those with weakened immune systems, it can be more serious.

Experts from the World Health Organization are due to start answering questions from the public about monkeypox shortly.

They'll have three experts on hand:

• Dr Rosamund Lewis, head of the smallpox secretariat
• Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead for Covid-19
• Dr Meg Doherty, director of global HIV, hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections programmes

Stay with us - we'll bring you all the latest. You can watch the briefing by clicking the 'play' button at the top of this page.

Biggest outbreak outside Africa in 50 years - but not another Covidpublished at 13:54 British Summer Time 23 May 2022

13:54 BST 23 May 2022

Fergus Walsh
Medical editor

This is not another Covid: it doesn't spread easily, the risk to the public is low, and it usually causes a mild illness.

But there's something in the name "monkeypox" which has grabbed public attention.

It is, though, the biggest outbreak outside Africa in 50 years.

There is a vaccine. It's actually the smallpox vaccine, which is in the same family as monkeypox and has been eradicated.

The UK has bought more stocks of the smallpox vaccine, and some sexual health clinic staff have received it.

Denmark has recorded its first case of monkeypox in the country, in an adult male who had returned from a trip to Spain, the country's health ministry said in a statement.

"Health authorities do not expect widespread infection in Denmark, but we are following the situation closely to be prepared for a possible development in the infection situation," Reuters quoted Health Minister, Magnus Heunicke, as saying.

The man is currently in isolation and authorities are in touch with any close contacts, the ministry added.

James Gallagher
Health and science correspondent, BBC News

Normally monkeypox struggles to spread between people.

Nobody knows why there are now so many cases, but there are three main ideas.

1. The virus is different: Scientists are on the lookout for mutations that might make monkeypox spread more easily. Early data has not found a change in the virus.
2. Less immunity: The smallpox vaccine was used around the globe to eradicate the disease. It also protects against monkeypox, but barely anybody under 50 has had it. So are we now more vulnerable?
3. The virus just got lucky: Did the same old virus find itself in the right place – like a festival – or group of people where it was able to spread easily?

At the moment, the final option is being seen as the most likely.

Downing Street has said the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is monitoring monkeypox "extremely carefully".

The prime minister's official spokesman said: "We have the UK Health Security Agency who are monitoring this extremely carefully.

"The facts we know is that monkeypox is not usually spread easily between people, and the risk to others remains low.

"A notable portion of early cases detected have been in gay and bisexual men, so the UKHSA is urging this community in particular to be alert.

"It's true to say that most people recover within a few weeks."

Asked if the prime minister has spoken to chief medical officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty over the matter, the spokesman said: "I don't believe he has. He's receiving regular updates on it and the health secretary is leading for the Cabinet."

Image source, EPA

Michelle Roberts
Health editor, BBC News online

Image source, Science Photo Library

Monkeypox is harder to catch than some other infections. It takes close and often prolonged physical contact with someone who already has it.

The main way it spreads from person to person is via coughs and sneezes and the skin rash.

The virus can enter your body through your eyes, nose or mouth, or your skin if it is broken.

Touching contaminated clothing, bedding or towels used by a person who has the monkeypox rash is also a risk.

You may not realise you have been infected because it can take a week or two for symptoms to appear.

In West and Central Africa, where outbreaks usually occur from time to time, the disease is mostly spread by rodents, such as rats, mice and squirrels.

It can be caught from a bite or by eating meat from an infected animal that has not been cooked properly, for example.

What is monkeypox and how do you catch it?

Scotland has recorded the first case of monkeypox in the country, Public Health Scotland (PHS) has confirmed.

The person is "being managed and treated in line with nationally agreed protocols and guidance", according to Dr Nick Phin, the medical and public health science director at PHS said on Monday.

James Gallagher
Health and science correspondent, BBC News

Monkeypox is acting unusually.

The virus has been known about since the 1950s and has caused small outbreaks. These happen when the virus makes the jump from rainforest animals in West and Central Africa into people.

But now we have an outbreak across multiple countries, the cases have no clear connection to West and Central Africa and are clustering in young gay and bisexual men.

This kind of spread has not been seen before and that is raising concern, but not alarm.

From what we know so far, this isn’t showing signs of becoming another Covid-style pandemic.

Unlike Covid, monkeypox is spread through close physical contact with somebody infected and we have tools – such as a vaccine – that can be used to help limit the spread.

Image source, UKSA

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the monkeypox outbreak, which has spread to more than a dozen countries around the world. The viral infection is usually found in West and Central Africa - and the illness is usually mild. But there are now about 80 confirmed cases in countries, including the UK, that would not normally expect to have the disease.

We're expecting to hear from experts at the World Health Organization in a short while, as they answer questions from the public. The BBC's correspondents will also be answering some of the key questions right here. Meanwhile, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) will release updated case numbers later today. Stay with us as we bring you the latest updates and explanation.