The Biden administration on Thursday declared monkeypox a public health emergency, with cases on the rise across the country.
The declaration follows the World Health Organization announcement last month that monkeypox is a public health emergency of international concern.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken a different position, of course, warning that states that declare health emergencies – “they’re gonna abuse those emergency powers to restrict your freedom.”
Florida has the fifth most confirmed monkeypox cases nationwide – 480, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Florida Department of Health has administered or delivered 35,000 monkeypox vaccine doses, but demand is outweighing the supply coming from the national stockpile.
For more on Monkeypox and its impact locally, read our Inweekly article.