A total of 131 confirmed cases and 106 suspected cases of monkeypox have been reported in 19 countries so far, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.

While the outbreak is unusual, it remains "containable" and limited, the WHO said, and it is convening further meetings to support member states with more advice on how to tackle the situation.

Monkeypox is a usually mild viral infection that is endemic in parts of west and central Africa. It spreads chiefly through close contact, and until the recent outbreak has only rarely been seen in other parts of the world. Currently, cases are showing up in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and the European Union.

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Explainer: What is monkeypox and where is it spreading?

'Containable' with continuous monitoring

"We encourage you all to increase the surveillance of monkeypox to see where transmission levels are and understand where it is going," said Sylvie Briand, WHO director for Global Infectious Hazard Preparedness.

She said it was unclear if the cases were the "tip of the iceberg" or if the peak in transmission has already passed.

Speaking at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Briand reiterated WHO's view that it is unlikely that the virus has mutated but said that transmission may be being driven by a change in human behavior, particularly as people return to socializing as COVID-19 restrictions are being lifted worldwide.

Most of the confirmed cases have not been linked to travel to Africa, but some had been men who had sex with other men. WHO officials said this demographic is likely to seek medical advice or access sexual health screening more readily.

Monkeypox does not usually spread easily between people, but it can be passed through close person-to-person contact or contact with items used by a person who has monkeypox, such as clothes, bedding or utensils.

While she said the outbreak was "not normal", she stressed that it was "containable." There are also vaccines and treatments available for monkeypox, she added, calling for appropriate containment measures, more research, and global collaboration.

"Let's not make a mountain out of a molehill," she said

No urgent need for mass vaccination

Richard Pebody, who leads the high-threat pathogen team at WHO Europe, told Reuters on Monday that the spread outside of Africa does not require mass vaccinations as measures like good hygiene and safe sexual behavior would help.

Pebody's comment came as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it was in the process of releasing some Jynneos vaccine doses for use in monkeypox cases. Jynneos is a vaccine used for the prevention of smallpox and monkeypox in adults determined to be at high risk for smallpox or monkeypox infection.

The primary measures to control the outbreak are contact tracing and isolation, Pebody said, noting that it is not a virus that spreads very easily, nor has it so far caused serious disease. The vaccines used to combat monkeypox can have some significant side-effects, he added.

(With input from Reuters)