The first two paediatric cases of monkeypox in the United States have been reported by health officials.
One is a toddler in California and the other is an infant who is not a US resident, US health authorities said on Friday.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the children were in good health and being treated.
Monkeypox, which causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions, is a rare but potentially serious viral illness spread person-to-person through close contact.
The two cases are unrelated and likely the result of household transmission, according to the US public health agency.
Global cases have passed 14,000, with six countries reporting their first cases last week, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO again considers declaring monkeypox a global emergency
WHO's emergency committee on Thursday reconvened to consider for the second time within weeks whether to declare monkeypox a global crisis — its highest alert.
Some scientists said the striking differences between the outbreaks in Africa and in developed countries will complicate any coordinated response.
African officials say they are already treating the continent's epidemic as an emergency.
But experts elsewhere say the mild version of monkeypox in Europe, North America and beyond makes an emergency declaration unnecessary even if the virus can't be stopped.
British officials recently downgraded their assessment of the disease, given its lack of severity.
Some experts worry these and other differences could possibly deepen existing medical inequities between poor and wealthy nations.
The United States, Britain, Canada and other countries have bought millions of vaccines, but none have gone to Africa, where a more severe version of monkeypox has killed more than 70 people.
The UN health agency said that outside of Africa, 99 per cent of all reported monkeypox cases are men. Of those, 98 per cent are in men who have sex with other men.
The disease spreads chiefly through close contact.
Australia's official health figures show there were 41 cases of monkeypox, as of July 19.
This includes 22 in New South Wales, 15 in Victoria, two in the Australian Capital Territory, one in Queensland and one in South Australia.
Adding to the national figures, the Northern Territory recorded its first case of monkeypox on Thursday.
NT Health said the confirmed case was detected in a returned overseas traveller who was currently in isolation in the Top End region.
The person presents no health or transmission risk to the public, the statement said.
Reuters/ AP with ABC
