Confirmed Monkeypox Cases Increase in Canada... Canadian Public Health Agency "Extent of Infection Spread Unknown"

All 5 Confirmed Cases Occurred in Quebec Province

Monkeypox patients in Congo, Africa, 1996-1997
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Nayeon] The Public Health Agency of Canada announced on the 20th (local time) that the number of confirmed monkeypox cases in Canada has increased to five.

CBC reported that Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer of the agency, stated at a press conference that 24 suspected monkeypox cases are currently under investigation in Canada.

The five confirmed cases were all reported in the province of Quebec, according to provincial authorities, who had confirmed the first two monkeypox cases in Canada the previous day.

Officer Tam said that the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg is currently examining samples collected from Quebec and British Columbia (BC), and that several additional confirmed monkeypox cases are likely to be identified soon.

She said, "We have no idea how much the infection has spread in Canada," adding, "The investigation is being conducted thoroughly." She also noted that among those under investigation, few have traveled to African regions where outbreaks are common.

At this point, she assessed the overall risk to the general public as "low" and explained that research is focused on determining why monkeypox is spreading to Western countries, including Canada.

Monkeypox is an endemic disease mainly occurring in Central and West Africa. Since this month, it has spread to Europe, the United States, and Australia. It is transmitted through contact with animals such as rodents and primates or objects contaminated with pathogens, but human-to-human transmission is rare. Therefore, the rapid spread seen this time is unusual.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.