WASHINGTON — The United States is taking new steps in the fight against monkeypox.
The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that more than 13,500 monkeypox cases have been reported in 49 states -- the most cases in the world.
Biden administration officials announced new steps on Thursday.
They include boosting supply with an additional 1.8 million doses of the monkeypox vaccine, accelerating the Department of Health and Human Services' vaccine distribution timeline, launching a new program aimed at making vaccines available and engaging with at-risk communities at large events for LGBTQ communities.
"Our feet remain on the gas to do everything we can to end this outbreak," said Bob Fenton, the White House monkeypox coordinator.
"We all have a role to play and working together will lead to our collective success," said Xavier Becerra. He's the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Virginia, 1st District), who was critical of the Biden Administration's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and masking mandates, offered a muted response to Thursday's news on monkeypox.
"I always look at, make sure you're making smart decisions about public health, that you're addressing truly where the risk is," he said. "I haven't seen the White House strategy. I will say this, I think the strategy for COVID-19 didn't focus where it needed to focus on -- and [that] is on populations as risk. If policies are focused on that, we're doing the right thing. If they're not, if they become more political, we're doing the wrong thing."