Western nations are rushing to secure vaccines for monkeypox as the global case count tops 200.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said on Wednesday that 118 cases were confirmed in 12 European Union countries.

Britain, with rising case numbers, has confirmed 78. Australia, Canada, and the United States have also reported infections.

In Spain, where 51 cases have been confirmed, Health Minister Carolina Darias said her country is buying a supply of smallpox vaccines, also effective for monkeypox, from a Danish pharmaceutical firm.

Darias did not specify the number of doses that will be procured. She said the doses will be distributed proportionally among the country's states.

The German government has ordered 40,000 doses of the smallpox vaccine to be ready in case infections spread further.

The British government is preparing to make the vaccines available to people who have been in close contact with patients and to medical workers.

The US has confirmed one patient as of May 18. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it was in the process of releasing vaccine doses from the national stockpile for use in monkeypox cases as needed.