The World Health Organization is set to meet again to reconsider whether monkeypox is a major public health emergency, after thousands of infections were reported in 58 countries.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said an emergency committee would meet later this month to discuss the rare virus, despite concluding in June that monkeypox was not a “public health emergency of international concern”.

“With regard to monkeypox, I remain concerned about the scale and spread of the virus,” he said, adding that WHO staff were “following the data” and that the committee would meet by the week of July 18, to provide updates on the evolution of the outbreak.

Although Tedros noted that “testing remains challenging” and said that it is “highly likely” that a large number of infections are undetected, he added that 6000 cases have been recorded worldwide. Infections are now detected in 58 countries, and they have doubled since May.