After New York and Illinois California declares a state of emergency to tackle monkeypox

California declared a state of emergency, becoming the third state in the United States to raise the alert to combat the monkeypox virus.

The US state of California on Tuesday declared a state of emergency to tackle the outbreak of monkeypox in it, becoming the third state in America to raise its health response to the disease within four days, according to the New York Times.

For his part, US President Joe Biden appointed a presidential advisor for coordination to address the disease.

The California announcement follows similar announcements for New York on Friday and Illinois on Monday.

In an effort to improve the federal government's response to the outbreak, Biden appointed Robert Fenton, the national monkeypox response coordinator, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The White House said Fenton, a regional director for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and a former acting president of the agency, will serve as the monkeypox coordinator. Demeter Daskalakis, currently director of the CDC's Division of HIV Prevention, will serve as its deputy.

The White House indicated that the two officials will be directed to follow the Biden administration's strategy to address the disease, and help in the process of providing tests, vaccines and treatments.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement that the state was working "urgently across all levels of government to slow the spread of monkeypox."

"We will continue to work with the federal government to secure more vaccines and raise awareness about risk reduction," he added.

The moves, which help simplify and coordinate the response to monkeypox between different levels of government, come amid a rise in infections as well as growing complaints about the public health response.

Monkeypox is a virus similar to smallpox, but with less severe symptoms. It was discovered in 1958, but in recent weeks it has spread to dozens of countries and infected tens of thousands, mostly men who have sex with men. So far, men who have sex with men have made up 99% of confirmed cases.

On July 23, the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a global health emergency.

Symptoms of the disease

People who become ill typically experience fever, headache, back and muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes, and fatigue.

A few days after having a fever, most people develop a rash, which begins with flat red marks that become raised and filled with pus. Symptoms appear within six to 13 days of contact, but can take up to three weeks.

Monkeypox is transmitted from person to person through close physical contact with the infectious pustules, by touching objects, such as clothing or bedding, that previously touched the rash, or by respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing.

Monkeypox can also be transmitted from mother to fetus through the placenta or through direct contact during and after childbirth.

According to the New York Times, the Genius vaccine, which protects against smallpox and monkeypox, can help reduce symptoms, even if taken after exposure.

The Genius vaccine is used in the form of two doses given four weeks apart. It was mostly given to health care workers and people with confirmed or suspected exposure to monkeypox.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 6,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported nationwide since May, about half of them in California, Illinois and New York.