YEREVAN, JUNE 14, ARMENPRESS. The World Health Organization (WHO) will hold an emergency meeting to discuss whether the monkeypox virus poses a threat to public health, ARMENPRESS reports "Interfax" informs.

The meeting is scheduled for June 23.

Since the beginning of the year, 1.6 thousand cases of infection with monkeypox virus have been registered, 1.5 thousand people are under suspicion. 72 of the infected died. In total, the virus has been detected in 39 countries.

The virus was first found in monkeys in 1958 and in humans in 1970.

Monkey pox is a rare infectious disease that is most common in remote areas of Central and West Africa. Symptoms include nausea, fever, rash, itching, and muscle aches.