Monkeypox infections continue to rise in Canada as the U.S. and WHO declare the outbreak an emergency, leaving some experts concerned about the risk of new outbreaks.
There have been fewer than 1,000 confirmed cases in Canada since May, as of Friday. But on a per capita basis, the total number of monkeypox cases in Canada has surpassed the United States.
On July 27, Chief Public Health Officer Dr Teresa Tam encouraged people at highest risk of monkeypox to get vaccinated, saying an “urgent” response was needed to tackle the outbreak.
But even though monkeypox has mostly spread among men who have sex with men, Dr. Donald Winn, an infectious disease specialist at McGill University Health Center in Montreal, tells CTV National News there’s a good chance the infection could spread. spread outside this community.
“I’m not saying we should panic. I think we just have to be prepared that there’s a possibility that this virus will spread to the general public, and so we shouldn’t be surprised by that possibility,” he said.
Monkeypox often presents as a flu-like infection with a rash and is spread through close personal contact with someone who has symptoms.
Although monkeypox has been endemic to certain parts of Africa for decades, it has also been neglected, Winn said.
And while the smallpox vaccine protects against monkeypox, questions remain about whether those who were vaccinated decades ago would still be protected from the disease today.
“So that’s something else we have to learn and pretty quickly,” Vin said.
The Biden administration in the US declared monkeypox a public health emergency on Thursday.
This comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern on July 23.
However, Canada has yet to make such a declaration
In a statement to CTVNews.ca, a spokesperson for the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said the Government of Canada “recognizes WHO’s determination and recognizes that the global outbreak of monkeypox requires an urgent global response.”
The spokesman said more than 80,000 doses of Imvamune smallpox vaccine had been sent to provinces and territories.
“PHAC also continues to work closely with international, provincial and territorial health partners to gather information about this developing outbreak and determine the best course of action to stop the spread of monkeypox in Canada,” it said in the statement.
“Canada will also continue to work with WHO and international partners to strengthen the global response to the current monkeypox outbreak.”
Asked about the current status of Canada’s vaccine stockpile and Canada’s ability to increase its supply through additional orders, the spokesperson said the agency “does not disclose details of medical countermeasures held by the NESS (National Strategic Emergency Stockpile). including types or quantities, due to security implications and requirements.’
Locally, some are making efforts to vaccinate.
This weekend, the public health department in Windsor, Ontario will host its first monkeypox vaccine clinic at the Pride event on Sunday.
But on Friday, Ottawa Public Health announced it had to cancel its monkeypox vaccine clinics for the day “due to an unforeseeable short-term vaccine supply issue.”
Kerry Bowman, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Temerty School of Medicine, said it’s still unclear where the monkeypox outbreak is headed, but he believes Canada can do more.
“There is a picture of a lack of clarity about who is eligible and the vaccination process itself is quite limited,” Bowman said.
Health officials recommended vaccinations for high-risk groups, including healthcare workers and men who have sex with men and have recently had multiple sexual partners.
But Bowman says he’s also concerned about monkeypox spreading to animals other than humans.
“I’d like to see it contained because I’m afraid it’s going to become endemic — embedded — that it’s going to get into non-human species like I’ve seen it in Africa, it’s just going to keep circulating and coming back into humans on a regular basis,” he said.
With files from Rachel Aiello of CTVNews.ca, The Associated Press and CNN.
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