The monkeypox outbreak has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization.

The classification issued is of the highest level possible that the WHO can issue and was announced following a worldwide upsurge in cases of monkeypox.

The new classification of being a global health emergency was announced at the end of the second meeting of the WHO's emergency committee concerning the monkeypox virus.

Over 16,000 cases have now been reported from just 75 countries, WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced.

Although there have only since been 5 deaths as a result of the outbreak, he further added.

There are two alternate health emergencies at present: the coronavirus pandemic and the long standing disease, polio.

Dr Tedros claimed that the WHO emergency committee could not reach a consensus agreement on whether the monkeypox outbreak should be classified as a global health emergency or not.

However, he continued on to say that the outbreak had spread around the world so rapidly that he had decided that it should indeed be of international concern.

He concluded with this statement: "The WHO's assessment is that the risk of monkeypox is moderate globally and in all regions, except in the European region, where we assess the risk as high,"

In the UK there have been more than 2,000 confirmed cases.Dr Tedros has said that the virus has been concentrated among men who had sex with men, especially those who have had multiple sexual partners. He has stated that countries need to adopt measures that protect their health, human rights, and dignity."Stigma and discrimination can be as dangerous as any virus", he added.Health officials are recommending that people who likely are at higher risk of exposure to the virus, including some gay and bisexual men, as well as health care workers, should be offered a vaccine to protect themselves.Symptoms of the virus include a higher fever, swollen lymph nodes, and lesions which are often seen on the mouth or genitals of those who are infected.