The head of the WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group, David Heymann, explained that the working concept of the World Health Organization based on the infections that have been recorded so far is that the current outbreak is caused by sexual contact.
Monkeypox is a mild contagious disease that is endemic in western and central Africa.
The disease spreads through direct contact, which means that it can be easily contained through measures such as self-isolation and hygiene as soon as a new infection is diagnosed.
Scientists say that the outbreak of the disease in 11 countries where it is not endemic is unusual, and more than 100 confirmed or suspected infections have been recorded, most of them in Europe.
Direct contact is the main mode of transmission of the virus because the rashes usually associated with the disease are highly contagious, Heymann said.
For example, parents who take care of sick children are at risk, as are health workers, which is why some countries have begun vaccinating teams treating monkeypox patients with smallpox vaccines.
Many of the current infections were discovered in sexual health clinics.
