Monkeypox and endemic diseases becoming more persistent, WHO says

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The World Health Organization (WHO) warned Wednesday that outbreaks of endemic diseases are becoming more frequent. 

The United Nations health agency's emergencies director, Dr. Mike Ryan, said that climate change is contributing to this issue, with drought forcing animals and humans to alter food-seeking behavior. 

As a result of this change, he noted that diseases that typically circulate in animals are increasingly jumping into humans.

"Unfortunately, that ability to amplify that disease and move it on within our communities is increasing – so both disease emergence and disease amplification factors have increased," the doctor explained. 

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Ryan's comments come as outbreaks of monkeypox threaten communities around the globe. 

The WHO's Dr. Rosamund Lewis said that while the organization does not expect the virus transmissions to lead to a pandemic, there are still many unknowns about its current spread – especially sexually and within the LGBTQIA+ community.

Traditionally, the monkeypox virus is spread by touching or getting bitten by infected wild animals in western and central Africa.

However, scientists have not yet determined whether these outbreaks can be traced to Africa.

WHO: MONKEYPOX NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME PANDEMIC, MUCH REMAINS UNKNOWN

A top adviser to the WHO previously claimed that current cases were likely linked to sex at two raves in Spain and Belgium.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows there are now 18 confirmed cases across the U.S. 

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No deaths have been reported thus far and the majority of patients recover without requiring hospitalization.

Monkeypox, which is related to smallpox, has milder symptoms. 

Some of those symptoms include fever, chills, rash and aches, before lesions develop. 

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There are more than 550 confirmed cases reported to the WHO, from 30 countries that are not endemic for monkeypox virus.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.