The fast-spreading monkeypox virus led the World Health Organization (WHO ) to declare a “public health emergency of international concern ” this month .
快速傳播的猴痘病毒促使世界衛生組織（世衛組織）本月宣布「國際關注公共衛生緊急事件」。
He added : “We have an outbreak that has spread … through new modes of transmission , about which we understand too little .”
他補充說：「我們面臨的疫情已經……透過新的傳播途徑擴散，而我們對這些途徑了解太少。」
In recent years , the health agency has issued such declarations on COVID-19 , Ebola , and the Zika viruses .
近年來，該衛生機構曾就新冠、伊波拉和茲卡病毒發布過此類聲明。
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC ) says that monkeypox is part of the same virus family as smallpox .
美國疾病管制與預防中心（CDC）表示，猴痘與天花屬於同一病毒家族。
Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 among groups of monkeys used for research .
猴痘於1958年首次在用於研究的猴群中被發現。
The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970 .
首例人類猴痘病例記錄於1970年。
The virus spreads mainly through close contact with an infected person .
該病毒主要透過與感染者的密切接觸傳播。
Until this year , the viral disease has rarely spread outside Africa .
今年以前，這種病毒性疾病很少傳播到非洲以外。
But reports of new cases in Europe and other places signaled that the outbreak had spread around the world .
但歐洲和其他地方通報的新病例顯示，疫情已擴散到全世界。
Monkeypox symptoms are similar to smallpox but milder .
猴痘的症狀與天花相似，但較輕。
Most patients only experience fever , aches , and tiredness .
大多數患者只會出現發燒、疼痛和疲倦。
Some may develop a rash with cuts on their face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body .
有些人可能會在臉部和手部出現帶有破損的皮疹，並可能蔓延到身體其他部位。
The sickness usually lasts two to four weeks .
該病通常持續兩到四週。
A pregnant woman can also pass the virus to her fetus .
孕婦也可能將病毒傳給胎兒。
Unlike the SARS-CoV-2 virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic , monkeypox does not spread easily over the air .
與引發新冠大流行的SARS-CoV-2病毒不同，猴痘不容易透過空氣傳播。
Health officials from several countries urged the WHO to declare monkeypox a public health emergency as the disease spread quickly in the past month .
由於該病在過去一個月迅速傳播，多國衛生官員敦促世衛組織宣布猴痘為公共衛生緊急事件。
From June to July , the WHO reported that cases of monkeypox had increased from 3,040 to more than 16,000 .
世衛組織報告稱，從6月到7月，猴痘病例從3040例增至16000多例。
The number of countries with infections have also gone up from 47 to 75 .
出現感染的國家數量也從47個增加到75個。
Officials were especially concerned that the disease has spread quickly among people who did not travel to Africa where the disease is endemic .
官員們尤其擔心的是，該病在沒有去過非洲（該病的地方性流行地區）的人群中迅速傳播。
That means it has become permanently established in an area .
這意味著它已在某一地區長期存在。
The emergency declaration usually brings more resources and action to deal with the outbreak .
緊急狀態聲明通常會帶來更多資源和行動來應對疫情。
It also pushes countries to work together on testing and producing vaccines and treatments for the disease .
它還促使各國在檢測以及生產該病的疫苗和治療藥物方面展開合作。
For now , the WHO said the risk of monkeypox is “moderate ” around the world , except in Europe where it listed the risk as “high .”
目前，世衛組織表示猴痘在全球的風險為「中等」，只有歐洲被列為「高」風險。
CDC health officials advise that people should avoid close , skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like monkeypox .
CDC衛生官員建議，人們應避免與出現類似猴痘皮疹的人進行密切的皮膚接觸。
In Central and West Africa , the CDC says people should avoid contact with animals that can spread the monkeypox virus , such as monkeys and rodents .
CDC表示，在中非和西非，人們應避免接觸可能傳播猴痘病毒的動物，如猴子和齧齒動物。
And they should also avoid sick or dead animals .
他們還應避開生病或死亡的動物。
At this time , health officials are still learning whether children and people with existing health problems are more at risk of the disease .
目前，衛生官員仍在研究兒童和有慢性病的人是否更容易感染該病。
If you are sick with monkeypox , health officials say you should remain isolated .
衛生官員表示，如果你感染了猴痘，應該保持隔離。
There is no cure for monkeypox .
猴痘目前無法治癒。
U.S . and European health officials say antivirals , such as tecovirimat , may be given to people who are more likely to get severely sick .
美國和歐洲衛生官員表示，可以給更容易發展為重症的人使用特考韋瑞等抗病毒藥物。
That group includes patients with weakened immune systems .
這一群體包括免疫系統較弱的患者。
Health officials in Europe and the U.S . have also recently announced that they will send out monkeypox vaccines to affected communities .
歐洲和美國的衛生官員最近也宣布，將向受影響社區發放猴痘疫苗。