Biden Says ‘Everybody’ Should Be Concerned About Monkeypox Outbreak

President Joe Biden told reporters during a stop in South Korea on Sunday that the recent monkeypox outbreak is "something that everybody should be concerned about."

This marks the president's first public remark on the recent spread of monkeypox, which has been detected in at least 12 countries. The CDC is monitoring a handful of cases in the U.S. as two men in Massachusetts and New York City have been the first to test positive for the disease. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. has prepared a supply of vaccines that are "relevant to treating monkeypox." There have been 92 confirmed cases and another 28 suspected cases of monkeypox worldwide as of Saturday, according to WHO. The organization has also noted that the disease is transmitted less effectively between humans than COVID-19 and is unlikely to spark another global pandemic. Some common monkeypox symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, fever, rashes and smallpox-like skin lesions.

Coverage of Biden's comments and the spread of monkeypox was generally balanced across the spectrum. Some left-rated outlets promoted vaccination options that studies have shown "to be effective against" monkeypox such as the smallpox vaccine. Some right-rated outlets noted that monkeypox symptoms are "milder" than smallpox and that most people usually recover in 2-4 weeks without needing to be hospitalized.