Canada Is Now Reporting 300 Cases Of Monkeypox & Here's Where They Are
It's been found in four provinces.
A sign for Health Canada.
The case numbers for monkeypox in Canada have increased since the disease was first publicly reported in the country back in May 2022.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), as of July 4, there are 300 publicly reported cases of the illness across four different provinces.
In B.C., four cases have been reported, while Alberta has confirmed eight in total. Over in Ontario, PHAC says 77 cases have been reported, while Quebec has the most with 211.
And these numbers are expected to grow, according to PHAC.
As their investigation into the spread of monkeypox continues, they predict more cases will be reported in the country with the help of local health authorities.
Canada is also collaborating with provinces and territories, as well as the World Health Organization, to better understand the routes and rates of transmission.
These current cases come after the illness was first confirmed in Canada in May 2022, after it was reported in several countries it was not endemic, such as the United States and the United Kingdom.
It has since spread outside of those countries with cases in Europe, the Americas, Australia and other parts of the world.
As to our current understanding of the disease, transmission is passed through close person-to-person contact or through items that have come in contact with an infected person's rash.
The virus enters the body through the respiratory tract or mucous membranes such as the ones in the eyes, mouth or nose. So far, infections have been limited to intimate partners or people who live in the same household.
Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, chills, headaches, swollen lymph glands and chills, and can progress into a rash that can last up to 28 days.
Along with this recent outbreak, health officials have worried about the name "monkeypox" and how it might stigmatize regions where the virus is endemic — western and central Africa.
To protect travellers from Canada, the federal government has also released a travel advisory for those going abroad to places that might have cases of monkeypox.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.