The idiom, "it never rains, but it pours" explains how difficult situations quickly follow each other. Just as COVID-19 is being brought under control, another potential threat has arrived. The WHO reported 120 worldwide cases of the rare monkeypox virus. It has been detected in Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia. The WHO said it could spread further. The WHO is concerned that the summer's festivals and parties will accelerate the spread.

Monkeypox is rarely fatal and most cases are mild. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, exhaustion and rashes. It usually clears up in a month. Monkeypox was first found in monkeys in 1958. It spreads from rodents to people. It can also spread from person to person. Scientists say a smallpox vaccine is 85 per cent effective against monkeypox. Despite this figure, virologists are on high alert. They are tracking the spread of cases.