More than 700 people have been infected with monkeypox worldwide, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its latest report that 21 cases of monkeypox have been reported in the United States as of Friday, raising fears in the country.

Most of those infected are US citizens who have traveled abroad, but others have been registered in the country and the source of infection is unknown.

Earlier, the World Health Organization said it was conducting a census to determine the number of monkeypox cases in countries, stressing that adherence to preventive measures will guarantee control of the disease.

Monkeypox is transmitted to humans through wild animals and the human-to-human transmission of the disease is rare.