President Biden is working to name a monkeypox coordinator to confront mounting infections and calls from lawmakers and activists for a stepped-up federal response.
White House officials also are deliberating whether to declare a public health emergency over the outbreak to cut red tape and improve data collection, according to the Washington Post, which first reported on the deliberations.
It is not uncommon for the White House to name a “czar” who coordinates the response to major health threats.
Dr. Ashish Jha serves as the COVID-19 coordinator for President Biden and Mr. Biden’s chief of staff, Ron Klain, served as the Ebola czar under President Barack Obama.