PARIS 

France’s health minister announced Friday a preventive vaccination campaign for the most vulnerable groups to prevent an outbreak of the monkeypox epidemic after the public health authority confirmed 721 cases.

Francois Braun said the campaign will begin next week for at-risk groups including men who have sex with men and those who have multiple partners.

“We will organize ourselves so that it can be available, for those who wish, from the beginning of next week,” he wrote on Twitter.

Previously, the vaccine was administered only to those who were infected and contact cases, including health care workers.

The announcement is in recommendation with the decision of the High Authority for Health (HAS) to extend the vaccination to vulnerable groups “to limit the risk of contamination for people at risk of exposure,” as cases increase and “the disease is progressing favorably.”

“A preventive vaccination will be offered to the groups most exposed to the virus: men who have sex with men and trans people who have multiple partners, people in prostitution, professionals working in places of consumption sexual,” it said.