NEW YORK: Renowned US infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said that the number of  monkey pox case is likely undercounted,  underscoring the urgency of treating the condition carefully.

While more than 6,000 cases of monkeypox and three fatalities have been recorded from 60 different countries since the start of the year, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has monitored at least 1,814 probable or confirmed cases (WHO). 

However, according to Fauci, the figures are "quite certainly an undercount."  "We must take this seriously, without a doubt. We don't yet fully understand its breadth and potential, but we must operate as though it will be able to expand far more than it is currently.

"Whenever anything like this emerges, you are likely only seeing the top of the iceberg; we have no way of knowing for sure, so that's why we need to start testing out there in a much, much more robust approach."

A poxvirus that is related to cowpox and smallpox is monkeypox. The virus generally causes pimple or blister-like lesions and flu-like symptoms such as fever, the CDC explained.

The lesions generally only affect the arms and legs, but in the latest outbreak, they are showing up more frequently on the genital and perianal area, which has raised some concerns that monkeypox lesions may be confused with sexually transmitted disease.

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