With 745 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Canada, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam says an “urgent” response is needed to deal with the outbreak and is encouraging those at highest risk to get vaccinated.
“Our understanding of this virus is still evolving and this declaration makes it clear that the situation requires an urgent global response,” Tam said on Wednesday, citing the World Health Organization’s recent declaration of monkeypox as a public health emergency of international concern.
As of Wednesday, according to PHAC, there were 346 cases reported in Quebec, 326 cases in Ontario, 58 cases in British Columbia, 12 cases in Alberta, two cases in Saskatchewan and one case in the Yukon.
“What we really need right now is for those in the highest risk groups, including gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men, to get the vaccine to protect themselves and others,” Tam said.
The viral illness – often presenting as a viral infection with a rash – is spread through close personal contact with those who have a symptomatic case. This can happen in several ways:
- Contact with lesions or scabs found on the skin or mucosal surfaces such as the eyes, mouth, genitals, and anus;
- Contact with body fluids of an infected person such as blood, saliva and semen; and
- Contact with contaminated items or shared personal items such as bedding, towels, toothbrushes and utensils.
PHAC says the virus can also be spread through respiratory particles from talking, breathing, coughing or sneezing during close contact, but scientists are still gathering information about this mode of transmission.
While in Canada, monkeypox is primarily spread among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men — with 99 percent of reported cases to date occurring in men who identify as men, and the majority reporting person-to-person sex of the same sex—health officials tried to emphasize that anyone can become infected and transmit the virus.
To date, less than one percent of confirmed cases in Canada have been in women or people under the age of 20, Tam said, adding that while PHAC is aware of international cases involving women and children, they also account for one percent. of all known cases.
Tam said Wednesday that PHAC is working with international and local health authorities to try to stop chains of transmission “to prevent monkeypox from becoming established in Canada” and recommends practicing safer sex, less sexual partners and staying home when sick as ways to reduce the risk of infection.
She said federal officials are “closely monitoring emerging data,” promising that the public health response will evolve as they learn more.
While efforts have been made by the federal government to provide funding to community groups to raise awareness and combat the stigma surrounding the disease, there are calls for a more comprehensive national response to the emerging public health concern.
“Our leaders really need to get together and start strategizing so that we can contain the spread of this.” We don’t want it to get into schools, kindergartens and things like that. Now is the time — like we had at the beginning of COVID — to really nip this thing in the bud,” emergency physician Dr. Kashif Pirzada said in an interview with CTV News Channel on Wednesday.
Some local public health authorities across the country have begun offering vaccines to those deemed at risk. The vaccine offered is Imvamune, a smallpox vaccine that the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends as an effective form of protection.
So far, the federal government has distributed more than 70,000 doses of the vaccine to the provinces and territories, of which approximately 27,000 doses have been administered.
Asked where Canada’s current supply of doses is, Tam said that while the vaccine is in limited supply worldwide, supplies are sufficient for now and the federal government is looking to secure more.
“I think we’re good so far, and of course we’re trying to gauge the population size and the potential vaccine coverage needed,” Tam said. “Luckily, we had already stocked the vaccine for another purpose, so we were able to move forward.”
To date, more than 18,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported worldwide from 78 countries, according to the World Health Organization. As Reuters reported on Wednesday, scientists advising the WHO said the window to stop the spread of the virus was closing. With new cases doubling every two weeks, there are fears it could be several months before the current outbreak peaks.
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