HHS extended the nation's monkeypox public health emergency Nov. 2.
The agency initially declared the nation's monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency Aug. 4. Public health emergencies last for 90 days but may be extended.
The recent extension by HHS comes as the World Health Organization determined Oct. 20 that monkeypox still constitutes a public health emergency. According to CDC data as of Nov. 2, monkeypox has infected nearly 28,500 people in the U.S. and more than 77,500 people globally.
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said the decision to renew the public health order is due to "continued consequences of an outbreak of monkeypox cases across multiple states."
An HHS spokesperson told The Hill other factors in the decision also included the need to maintain data flow across the U.S. as well as providing ample time for vaccine effectiveness studies.
The Jynneos smallpox vaccine is approved by the FDA for monkeypox.