The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Tuesday the activation of its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to respond to the US monkeypox outbreak, reported by CNN.

The activation of the EOC “allows the agency to further increase operational support for the response to meet the outbreak’s evolving challenges,” the agency said in a news release.

According to CDC’s webpage, the center works to outline a structure of response from the government and alongside non-government actors in emergency response.

Most recent data from the CDC show at least 244 probable or confirmed cases of monkeypox in the US.

This facility is currently activated for Covid-19 and is where experts monitor information on other public health emergencies, such as hurricanes, earthquakes and oil spills.