As cases of monkeypox (mpox) continue to rise in Toronto, health officials are urging residents who are eligible to get vaccinated to help prevent the spread of the disease.
Toronto Public Health (TPH) reported a total of 93 confirmed cases of monkeypox. Concerns are growing, with 13 new cases reported in the last two weeks of July alone.
TPH said monkeypox infections are occurring throughout Toronto but are particularly concentrated in the city’s downtown core. TPH is working with community partners to raise awareness of the risk of monkeypox infection and improve access to the vaccine to help as many residents as possible get vaccinated.
Monkeypox is primarily spread through physical contact with infected lesions, blisters, body fluids or respiratory secretions, and is particularly prevalent among homosexuals, bisexuals and men who have sex with men, who frequently have close physical contact.
Of the 102 confirmed cases reported in Ontario, 98 were in men, and the surge in cases is believed to have been triggered by recent major events and festivals. Experts point out that it is not yet clear whether the new strain of monkeypox reported this time is more contagious or lethal than the previous one.
“It is too early to draw any conclusions about the exact lethality and transmissibility of this strain,” said Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at Toronto General Hospital. However, Dr. Bogoch expects that vaccines will play an important role in preventing infection and severe disease, and emphasized the need for vaccination, especially for high-risk groups.
Toronto Public Health recommends two doses of the vaccine to prevent monkeypox and said that post-exposure prophylaxis is being provided to residents who have been in contact with an infected person. Vaccination eligibility can be checked on the Toronto Public Health website.