News release
May 27, 2022
A new suspected case of smallpox has been reported to Toronto Public Health (TPH) since this morning. The total number of confirmed cases remains at one, the probable cases are now two and there are five suspicious cases. These people with probable and suspicious cases are undergoing laboratory tests to confirm if they have the virus and are currently recovering at home.
A probable case of monkeypox is defined as a person with signs and symptoms of the virus, including a rash and contact with a confirmed or probable case, travel to a region where a confirmed case has been detected, or exposure to an infected animal. . People who do not have an epidemiological link but who show the necessary signs and symptoms, including a rash, are classified as suspicious.
Smallpox is a rare disease caused by a virus that is commonly endemic to Central and West Africa. It was first identified in monkeys, but its origin is still unknown. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, exhaustion, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that often appears within days of the onset of symptoms and begins on the face and spreads to other parts of the body. Most people recover on their own without treatment.
Monkeypox spreads through contact with body fluids, such as fluids from monkeypox sores, contaminated clothing or bedding, or through respiratory drops after prolonged face-to-face contact. It can also be transmitted by biting or scratching infected animals. Anyone, regardless of sexual orientation, can infect the monkey’s smallpox by contact with body fluids, smallpox wounds, or sharing contaminated items. Common household disinfectants can kill the monkeypox virus.
Although monkeypox is generally not easily spread among people, because it has now been detected in Toronto, residents should be aware of the symptoms of the virus described above. TPH asks residents who present with these signs and symptoms to report them to their healthcare provider as soon as possible. Close contact with people suspected or confirmed to have a monkeypox infection is recommended to self-monitor symptoms for 21 days after last exposure. If symptoms appear, they should be isolated, looked for, and tested. Healthcare providers are reminded that people suspected of having a monkeypox infection should report it to Public Health Ontario. As with many other diseases that are transmitted through close contact, people can reduce their risk by maintaining physical distance, frequent hand washing, and respiratory hygiene, including masking.
Several countries have documented groups of cases of monkeypox virus infection, including the United States and Canada. So far, Quebec has reported laboratory-confirmed cases and suspicious cases. Smallpox is transmitted by prolonged face-to-face contact or by body contact with an infected person, even before the onset of symptoms.
TPH continues to monitor anyone who is believed to be exposed to monkeypox. TPH also continues to work closely with the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Ontario Public Health Service and the Ontario Ministry of Health. TPH has contacted local physicians to provide information on symptoms, laboratory tests and diagnosis, infection control precautions, treatment, and monkeypox notification requirements.
More information on monkeypox is available on the Monkeypox website in the city of Toronto. TPH will update the number of confirmed, negative and investigated cases every day from Monday to Friday at 15:00
Residents can also find information on monkeypox on the Public Health Agency of Canada website or by calling the Toronto Public Health hotline at 416-338-7600. Additional information is also available on the Gay Men’s Sexual Health Alliance website.
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