Quebec health officials say the province now has 184 confirmed cases of monkeypox
Quebec authorities are reporting 13 more confirmed cases of monkeypox on Thursday for a total of 184 cases in the province since the start of the outbreak.
Quebec’s health ministry says 6,591 doses of vaccine have been administered since May 27 to curb the outbreak. The province has the highest number of infections of the disease in the country.
READ MORE: WHO to discuss declaring monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency
Montreal’s vaccination campaign has been expanded to all men who have sex with men and can be given before or after exposure to the disease.
Smallpox vaccines have been shown to be effective in combating the monkeypox virus. Vaccinations are done by appointment in Quebec.
Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, night sweats, headache, joint or muscle pain, and swollen glands. The rare disease comes from the same family of viruses that cause smallpox, which the World Health Organization declared eradicated worldwide in 1980.
The virus is transmitted by prolonged close contact. It can spread as soon as symptoms appear, until the scabs covering the skin lesions have fallen off and a layer of healthy skin has formed.
Monkeypox does not usually spread easily between people and is spread by prolonged close contact via respiratory droplets, direct contact with broken skin or bodily fluids, or through contaminated clothing or bedding.
READ MORE: WHO creates monkeypox vaccine sharing program amid fears of inequity
The incubation period is usually five to seven days, but can last up to 21 days.
Health officials say people should therefore monitor themselves for symptoms for up to 21 days after having close contact or sex with an infected person or someone with symptoms.
For more information on symptoms, transmission, vaccination and more, visit the Quebec health website here.
On Thursday, the WHO convened its emergency committee to consider whether the spiraling outbreak warrants being declared a global emergency.
— with files from The Canadian Press
globalnews
