York Region has reported its first two confirmed cases of the Monkeypox virus.
The cases, which are not believed to be related, were reported by York Region Public Health on Thursday.
“Human monkeypox is a rare infectious disease and the risk to most people in the community is considered to be very low,” York Region Medical Officer of Health Dr. Barry Peakes said in a press release. “York Region Public Health is continuing to monitor the situation and trace all close contacts of the two cases, who have both been appropriately isolated.”
The latest data released by Public Health Ontario shows there are currently 101 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the province, including 85 cases in Toronto.
This is more than three times the number of confirmed cases in the province on June 22.
In addition to York Region, cases have been identified in Toronto (85), Ottawa (4), Halton (2), Middlesex-London (2) and eight other public health units, including Hamilton, Peel, Durham and Simcoe-Muskoka with one any case.
York Region Public Health says monkeypox is “caused by a virus that does not spread easily between people”, reducing the risk of widespread infection.
“When it occurs, it is spread through prolonged close contact, such as between household members or during intimate contact (eg skin-to-skin contact, sex). It can also be spread by contact with contaminated materials, such as bedding or laundry, or by contact with bodily fluids, such as the fluid from monkeypox wounds,” the press release noted.
Public Health Ontario says the most common symptoms seen with Monkeypox infection are a noticeable skin rash (76.2% of cases), fever (56.4% of cases), swollen lymph nodes (54.5% of cases ) and oral/genital lesions (51 percent of cases).
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