Here’s how mpox is affecting Canadians

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As cases of the mpox virus continue to rise in Africa and around the world — and could soon be declared a global health emergency — some Canadians are being told to get the vaccine.

The virus, formerly called Monkeypox, spreads mostly between people who have had intimate contact through body fluids, infected lesions, blisters or respiratory secretions. It is an infection with a rash that may be painful and later forms into scabs that fall off, the Public Health Agency of Canada says. Other symptoms include fever, chills, headache, swollen lymph nodes and muscle pain.

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Most people recover without treatment within a few weeks

In Toronto, confirmed cases of mpox increased after summer festivals and events in June and July, according to Toronto Public Health (TPH). In a news release on Tuesday, the city urged eligible residents to get vaccinated.

There have been a total of 93 confirmed cases as of July 31, compared to 21 the same time last year. The downtown core had a higher concentration of cases, the city said, although cases were reported across the city.

“Currently, mpox has spread mostly between people who have had close/intimate or sexual contact with a person who has the virus – with gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men being most affected,” according to TPH.

“Travel is not a significant factor among current cases which suggests local community transmission of the virus.”

Vaccinations are the best way to prevent further spread of the virus, per the news release, and at-risk residents can book an appointment at a TPH clinic or contact their local 2SLGBTQ+ health care service provider. Two doses are recommended, with the second 28 days after the first.

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There is a vaccination available for residents who may have been exposed to mpox already. Those who have received the vaccine for smallpox should still get the mxpox vaccine “as they may not be protected,” according to TPH.

The federal government’s webpage dedicated to sharing information about mpox showed that there were 1,515 confirmed cases in Canada as of September 2023, with nine provinces or territories that reported cases. There were 45 hospitalizations as of August 2023. No deaths were reported. However, the data does not include the most recent outbreak.

Canadian health officials do not have a plan to share the country’s vaccines with Africa, the Globe and Mail reported. It is estimated that the Public Health Agency of Canada has millions of doses of a smallpox vaccine approved to treat mpox, per the publication.

There have been mpox outbreaks in 13 African countries, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said as it declared a public health emergency of continental security on Tuesday.

“So far in 2024, these countries have confirmed 2,863 cases and 517 deaths, primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),” a news release by Africa CDC said.

The federal government has issued a notice for Canadians who want to travel to DRC to “practise enhanced health precautions.”

Cases across the continent have surged past 17,000 — a large increase since 14,957 cases were detected in 2023.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg when we consider the many weaknesses in surveillance, laboratory testing and contact tracing,” the public health agency said in its release.

A global public health emergency?

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) held a meeting of experts to decide whether the mpox surge in Africa should be declared a global public health emergency.

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The committee will advise WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on whether the outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) — the highest alarm the WHO can sound.

A PHEIC declaration triggers emergency responses in countries worldwide under the legally binding International Health Regulations.

If declared, it would be the second PHEIC in succession on mpox — albeit one focused on a different, and more deadly, strain of the virus.

In May 2022, mpox infections surged worldwide, mostly affecting gay and bisexual men, due to the Clade 2b subclade. (Clades are subtypes of the virus to distinguish different strains, according to Public Health Agency of Canada.)

The WHO declared a public health emergency, which lasted from July 2022 to May 2023. The outbreak, which has now largely subsided, caused some 140 deaths out of around 90,000 cases.

The clade 1b subclade, which has been surging in the DRC since Sept. 2023, is more severe than clade 2b, and has a higher fatality rate.

With additional reporting from Agence France-Press

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