Biden says monkeypox cases something to ‘be concerned about’

By JOSH BOAK and CHRIS MEGERIAN
Associated Press

PYEONGTAEK, South Korea (AP) — President Joe Biden says cases of monkeypox are “something that everybody should be concerned about.” The president made his first public comments on the disease after being asked about it during his visit to South Korea. He said there’s work underway to identify an effective vaccine. And he added that if the disease were to spread “it would be consequential.” The disease is rarely identified outside of Africa, but there have been a number of recent cases in Europe and at least two in the United States. Most people recover from monkeypox without hospitalization, but it can be fatal.