Toronto will host two monkey vaccination clinics this weekend with extended participation, as health officials confirm 21 cases in Ontario, most of them in the GTA.
The two vaccination clinics will be held June 18 at The 519 (519 Church St.) between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and at Metro Hall (55 John St.) between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The clinics are for people over the age of 8 who are transsexual or cisgender, who identify themselves as men and belong to the “community of gays, bisexuals and other men who have sex with men,” officials said.
To be eligible, these persons must also belong to one of the following groups:
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Be in contact with someone who has recently tested positive for monkeypox
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You have had two or more sexual partners in the last 21 days
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have been diagnosed with chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis infection in the last 21 months
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They have visited bathrooms, sex clubs and other places for sexual contact in the last 21 days
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You have had anonymous or casual sex in the last 21 days
The first monkey vaccination clinic was specifically for Toronto bathroom workers to offer protection to those who have had close contact with someone who has tested positive or may be at higher risk of exposure.
As of Friday, there were 21 cases of monkeypox in Ontario. Of these infections, 18 have been identified in Toronto, while isolated cases have been reported in Ottawa, Halton and Middlesex-London.
Provincial officials added that there were 11 possible cases and 25 suspicious cases.
All confirmed infections were in men aged 20 to 69 years, but 12 of the probable and suspected cases were identified in women.
Health officials said monkeypox spread from person to person through contact with infected lesions, scabs or body fluids. It can also be transmitted by contact with contaminated materials such as clothing or bedding.
Symptoms include fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches and the development of a rash or lesions. The rash usually starts on the face before spreading to other parts of the body.
“Most people recover from smallpox on their own without treatment,” officials said in a press release issued Friday.
“Vaccination is available to protect against the monkeypox virus and may help reduce serious symptoms. As with most vaccines, the Imvamune vaccine can take up to two weeks to protect residents from the serious effects of the monkeypox virus.
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