Public health has identified 25 confirmed cases of monkeypox since May 12, all in the greater Montreal area and mostly men who have sex with men.
Providing an update on the outbreak of monkeypox on Thursday morning, the national director of public health, Dr. Luc Boileau, added that about thirty other cases are also under investigation.
However, public health authorities have been very clear: monkeypox does not pose the same risk of community transmission as COVID at all and there is no reason to fear large-scale spread.
Ottawa has provided several hundred doses of the Imvamune vaccine, which targets smallpox infections, but these vaccines are intended for people who have been in contact with confirmed cases and not for infected people themselves since it has no effect once the disease is contracted.
This causes oral and genital lesions in particular and is transmitted mainly by contact with these lesions or by droplets. Affected persons must isolate themselves from those around them and those around them must avoid touching objects handled by the infected person.
One of the confirmed cases is a minor and precautions are being taken in the school environment he attends.
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