BRUSSELS

The European Commission on Monday gave marketing authorization for Danish pharma company Bavarian Nordic’s vaccine against monkeypox, an EU official said.

The European Commission approved the extension of Imvanex vaccine’s marketing license, Stefan de Keersmaecker, the EU executive body’s spokesperson in charge of health, confirmed to Anadolu Agency.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended the approval last week after its scientific assessment concluded that Imvanex, originally developed against smallpox, is also effective to protect adults against the monkeypox virus.

On Saturday, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency.

The virus has affected over 16,000 people in 75 countries since May, according to the latest WHO statistics.

Monkeypox is a virus that causes disease with similar but less severe symptoms to smallpox, including fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes.

Human-to-human transmission is limited, but it can be passed through contact with bodily fluids, skin lesions, or internal mucosal surfaces, such as in the mouth or throat, respiratory droplets, and contaminated objects.