Canada reported the first two cases of monkeypox in Quebec on May 19 as the virus spread in many countries in the United States, Australia, and Europe.
of statement Published May 19, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said two individuals in Quebec tested positive for the disease and were the first to be reported in Canada.
“Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease found in parts of Central and West Africa that usually causes occasional human infections associated with exposure to infected animals and contaminated substances.” The statement states.
“Limited cases have been identified in the past in other regions such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Israel and Singapore, but have never been identified in Canada.”
As part of an ongoing investigation, PHAC said the National Institute of Microbiology (NML) “is conducting additional tests to confirm or rule out the diagnosis of monkeypox in these individuals.”
PHAC said it remains unclear how individuals in recent international cases were exposed to the monkeypox virus.
About 20 other people in Quebec are also suspected of suffering from “genital ulcer lesions” and infected with the virus, the State Department of Health and Social Services (MSSS) said. news release May 19th.
According to MSSS, monkeypox is “limited” infectivity compared to other viruses such as influenza and COVID-19, as monkeypox is usually transmitted by “long-term close contact with an infected person”. Is considered.
“In general, monkeypox resolves spontaneously,” he added, adding that antivirals exist but require clinical evaluation before recommending their use.
Symptoms of monkeypox infection include fever, headache, low back pain, and malaise during a 2-3 day prodromal period. According to Health Canada..
Although rare, human-to-human transmission occurs primarily through the respiratory tract, either by direct contact with the infected person’s body fluids, or by clothing, bedding, or other items contaminated by the infected person’s body fluids or pain. Caused indirectly by sharing.
On May 19, the US government identified the first case of monkeypox in the country this year in a man who recently traveled to Canada.
According to PHAC, Quebec’s public health authorities are also working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to investigate potential male contacts.
“US citizens recently traveled from the United States to Canada. Individuals traveled by private transportation and may have been infected before or during their visit to Montreal, Quebec,” said PHAC.
Cases of monkeypox have been investigated in Australia and several European countries, including those recently reported in Belgium, France and Germany, which occurred after confirmed infections in Italy, Sweden, Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom. increase.
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Andrew Chen is a Toronto-based Epoch Times reporter.