Monkeypox very serious, but no reason for widespread alarm, White House doctor says

The U.S. has declared a public health emergency after weeks of pressure to do more to stop the monkeypox outbreak. The U.S. leads the world in infections, and demand for the monkeypox vaccine is overwhelming the supply, with cases roughly doubling by the week in some states.

White House COVID response coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha, who is assisting on the monkeypox virus response, told "CBS Mornings" that declaring a public health emergency will help speed up vaccinations, treatment and the acquisition of data to track the outbreak.

"Thankfully, no one has died, so we are still at a point in this outbreak where I do believe that, while it is very serious, it is not something that is reason for widespread alarm," Dr. Jha said.