Ontario reported 423 cases. 373 cases have been reported in Quebec, 78 in British Columbia, 13 in Alberta, two in Saskatchewan and one in the Yukon. Monkeypox is a viral infectious disease related to smallpox, according to PHAC. The agency works with provinces, territories and international partners to actively monitor the situation in Canada.
Read more: Monkeypox cases rise to 423: Public Health Ontario
Most people infected with monkeypox should recover on their own after a few weeks, but in some cases, people can get very sick and die, PHAC says on its website. Story continues below ad Infected individuals usually develop symptoms five to 21 days after exposure to the monkeypox virus, which includes a painful rash that can last from 14 to 28 days. The rash may be accompanied by other symptoms, including fever, chills, headache, swollen lymph nodes, muscle pain, joint pain, back pain, and exhaustion. PHAC advises infected people to isolate at home and contact their healthcare provider or local public health authority. 2:28Monkey pox case detected at Toronto sanctuary Monkey pox case detected at Toronto sanctuary On July 23, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern. Trending Stories
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“The WHO assessment is that the risk of monkeypox is moderate globally and in all regions, except for the European region where we assess the risk as high,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Story continues below ad According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 26,208 confirmed cases of monkeypox in 87 countries as of August 3. Spain reported a second death caused by monkeypox on July 30. The two deaths are believed to be the first confirmed since the outbreak in the European Union, the Associated Press previously reported. Monkeypox is spread from person to person, through contact with contaminated objects, and from animals to humans, PHAC reports. People can become infected through sexual contact — including oral and non-penetrative contact, when they provide care to an infected person, or when they live in the same household as a person who is a carrier of the virus. To minimize the risk of contracting monkeypox, PHAC recommends that people use condoms, practice safe sex, and have fewer sexual partners. Montreal health officials said men who have sex with men should be vaccinated against monkeypox instead of limiting the number of people they have sex with, The Canadian Press reported. In Canada, adults 18 years of age and older are eligible for the IMVAMUNE vaccine, which was originally developed to be used to prevent smallpox. — With files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
