Biden names FEMA veteran to lead monkeypox response

Driving the news: Fenton, a FEMA regional administrator, has over 25 years of experience in federal emergency response and will serve as the White House national monkeypox response coordinator.

• Demetre Daskalakis, currently the director of the CDC Division of HIV prevention, will serve as the administration's deputy coordinator.
• The two will "lead the administration’s strategy and operations to combat the current monkeypox outbreak, including equitably increasing the availability of tests, vaccinations and treatments," per a White House statement.

What they're saying: "Bob Fenton and Dr. Daskalakis are proven, effective leaders that will lead a whole of government effort to implement President Biden’s comprehensive monkeypox response strategy with the urgency that this outbreak warrants," Dr. Anthony Fauci said in a statement.

The big picture: Fenton currently serves as regional administrator for FEMA in the American West, with nearly 50 million people in his area of responsibility.

• Daskalakis is a widely known national expert on health issues affecting the LGBTQ community.

• Fenton and Daskalakis combined have over four decades of experience in Federal emergency response and public health leadership, the White House said.

State of play: California and Illinois on Monday joined New York state and the city of San Francisco in declaring a health emergency over the monkeypox outbreak.

• The World Health Organization last month declared the outbreak of the virus a global health emergency.

Go deeper... California, Illinois declare health emergency over monkeypox outbreak