A total of 112 cases of monkeypox have been reported in Canada as of Thursday, according to the country’s public health agency and Alberta’s chief health officer.
One case has been identified in British Columbia, four in Alberta, nine in Ontario and 98 in Quebec.
Read more: Monkeypox, severe hepatitis raise concerns about post-COVID virus outbreaks
Smallpox is a rare disease that comes from the same family of smallpox viruses that the World Health Organization (WHO) declared eradicated worldwide in 1980.
With the vast majority of smallpox cases from Canada to Quebec, the province began offering a smallpox vaccine to close contacts specific to those infected.
As of June 9, 1,622 people have been vaccinated, the Quebec Department of Health said.
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Smallpox of the monkey: as of June 8, in Quebec, 98 cases have been reported and 1622 doses of vaccine have been administered since May 27. For more information on this infection, symptoms and transmission: https://t.co/y3a5YtyFeS
– Health Quebec (@sante_qc) June 9, 2022
Canada routinely stopped immunizing people against smallpox in 1972.
Toronto has 23 cases under investigation Thursday, according to its public health unit.
1/2: We continue to monitor #Monkeypox activity on TO. As of June 9, 2022 at 3:00 p.m., there have been: 9 positive cases and 23 cases being investigated for this virus. There is 1 new case confirmed in the lab since our last update.
– Toronto Public Health (@TOPublicHealth) June 9, 2022
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Toronto Public Health announced the first confirmed case of smallpox in the city’s lab on May 26.
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There have been more than 1,000 cases of the disease reported to the WHO in the current outbreak outside the countries where it is most commonly spread. To date, twenty-nine countries have reported confirmed cases.
As the disease continues to spread around the world, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) issued a travel warning to encourage those leaving the country to be extra careful.
“During your trip, you may be subject to established procedures at your destination to limit the spread of smallpox, such as isolation, if you become infected,” the agency said in a statement on June 8.
Canadians may also have limited access to timely and adequate health care if they become ill, and may be delayed returning to the country, the PHAC warned.
Read more: Canada issues travel warning as monkeypox continues to spread around the world
The monkey’s smallpox is spread by contact with sores and items such as bedding or towels that have been exposed to the virus. It can also spread through the respiratory droplets, distributed by coughing or sneezing.
Although it can be transmitted through close contact during sexual activity, it is not known to spread through semen or vaginal or rectal fluids.
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The virus is not transmitted as easily as the SARS-CoV-2 virus that caused the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Symptoms mainly include skin lesions in the mouth and genitals, and may also include fever, headaches, and joint and muscle aches, according to the WHO.
1:39 WHO does not recommend mass vaccination against monkeypox: Director-General WHO does not recommend mass vaccination against monkeypox: Director-General
Anyone with symptoms is asked to visit a healthcare professional, wear a mask and cover the injuries, and inform the clinic in advance.
“Anyone, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, could become infected and spread the virus if they come into close contact, including intimate sexual contact with an infected person or a contaminated object,” said Dr. Theresa Tam, responsible. Public Health Canada. he said at a briefing last Friday.
– With Reuters files
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