Advertisement

Quebec monkeypox infections double in one week with 52 confirmed cases

Click to play video: 'Monkeypox mortality rate unclear due to lack of surveillance in some countries: WHO'
Monkeypox mortality rate unclear due to lack of surveillance in some countries: WHO
WATCH: On Wednesday, World Health Organization infectious disease epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove said that due to a lack of surveillance in some countries, the mortality rate for monkeypox is unclear. The WHO is requesting countries increase their surveillance of these cases, and Van Kerkhove added there's "a lot" that could be done to better understand the illness. – Jun 1, 2022

Quebec’s Health Department says 52 monkeypox cases have been confirmed in the province.

Health officials said in a tweet late Wednesday the number of confirmed cases is as of Tuesday, up from 25 cases reported one week earlier.

Monkeypox is a rare disease that comes from the same family of viruses that causes smallpox, which the World Health Organization declared eradicated around the globe in 1980.

The latest health and medical news emailed to you every Sunday.

Monkeypox generally does not spread easily between people and is transmitted through prolonged close contact via respiratory droplets, direct contact with skin lesions or bodily fluids, or through contaminated clothes or bedding.

Health authorities say people who are suspected of having the virus, as well as those who live under the same roof, should isolate.

Story continues below advertisement

They should also wear a mask, cover their lesions and avoid sharing clothing, bedding or utensils with others.

The province began administering doses of the smallpox vaccine Imvamune last week, reserved for close contacts at high risk of developing the disease.

 

Sponsored content

AdChoices