SEOUL: Monkeypox has caught the attention of US President Joe Biden, who said Sunday that people should be on guard against the disease which has the potential for “consequential” impact if it were to spread further.

Several cases of monkeypox have been detected in North America and Europe since early May, sparking concern the disease, endemic in parts of Africa, is spreading.

The US leader, on his maiden trip to Asia as president, said in Seoul that health officials have not fully briefed him about “the level of exposure” in the United States.

WHO expects more cases of monkeypox to emerge globally

“But it is something that everybody should be concerned about,” Biden told reporters before boarding Air Force One to fly to Tokyo.

“It is a concern in that if it were to spread it would be consequential,” he added.

“We’re working on it hard to figure out what we do and what vaccine if any might be available for it.”

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