The US government has declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency following a spike in cases.
The decision will speed up the distribution of vaccines, treatments and federal resources to curb the spread of the virus.
It comes less than a fortnight after the World Health Organization (WHO) issued its highest emergency alert following a worldwide surge in cases.
Cases have topped 6,600 in the US, according to health officials.
“We’re prepared to take our response to the next level in addressing this virus, and we urge every American to take monkeypox seriously and to take responsibility to help us tackle this virus,” Health and Human Services secretary Xavier Becerra said in a call.
The U.S. government has come under pressure for its handling of the outbreak.
The disease began spreading in Europe before moving to the United States, which now has the most cases in the world. Vaccines and treatments have been in short supply and the disease often left for historically underfunded sexual health clinics to manage.