Mayor Eric Adams and city health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan on Saturday declared the monkeypox outbreak a “public health emergency.”

The emergency, which is effective immediately, allows the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to issue emergency orders under the city’s health code and alter provisions of the code to provide for measures to slow the monkeypox spread. 

“We are also working with partners at every level of government, to obtain as many additional doses as possible, as quickly as possible, so that we can protect New Yorkers during this growing outbreak,” the city release said.  

According to the release, approximately 150,000 New Yorkers may be at risk for monkeypox exposure.

The city said it will continue to work with federal partners to secure more doses as soon as they become available. 

“This outbreak must be met with urgency, action, and resources, both nationally and globally, and this declaration of a public health emergency reflects the seriousness of the moment,” the city release continued.

This declaration comes after Gov. Kathy Hochul issued an executive order Friday night calling for a “state disaster emergency” in response to the outbreak. 

According to the city’s Health Department, there were close to 1,300 presumed cases of monkeypox as of July 29.

On Thursday, the federal government announced that New York City will receive an additional 80,000 monkeypox vaccines.

Three mass vaccination sites throughout the city are vaccinating people over the weekend.