The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Saturday declared the monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency.

Over 16,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported in 75 countries over the past three months. India has documented three cases.

The declaration by WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is intended to spur a coordinated international response to curb the infection’s spread, understand the underlying science better and accelerate research on diagnostics, treatment and vaccines.

“We have an outbreak that has spread around the world rapidly, through new modes of transmission about which we understand too little, and which meets the criteria in international health regulations,” Ghebreyesus said.

“For these reasons, I have decided that the global monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern.”

Health authorities in India have recorded three monkeypox cases in Kerala since July 14 — each in a traveller who had returned from the UAE.

Ghebreyesus said that for now, the outbreak was concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners.