Monkeypox emergency in California and Illinois

Washington, The Gulf Observer: California and Illinois on Monday declared health emergencies in their states regarding the monkeypox virus.

The governors’ proclamation will accelerate the administration of vaccines, the work of contact tracing, and prevention efforts, officials said.

The White House on Monday night bolstered its footing against the virus by confirming Bob Fenton and Demetre Daskalakis will be announced Tuesday as national monkeypox coordinator and as deputy, respectively.

Fenton helped lead the country’s mass vaccination effort for Covid-19 as the Federal Emergency Management Agency acting administrator. Daskalakis is director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s HIV prevention division.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House’s top medical adviser, said the pair represents “a really good combination” to tackle an illness that still presents some mysteries, including whether the virus can spread when a carrier has no symptoms.