Public Health hosts pop-up monkeypox vaccination clinic in Hamilton’s east end

With close to 5,000 cases of monkeypox found in close to 50 countries where it does not usually spread, the city of Hamilton is set to host a pop-up vaccination clinic for the at-risk community.

In a release on Wednesday, Hamilton Public Health revealed an appointment-only session at the East End Public Health Clinic at 247 Centennial Parkway North operating from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday.

The agency is reporting no known cases of the virus locally and says the clinic is a “proactive action” in response to the virus.

“This clinic is part of our proactive plan to respond to the monkeypox virus and reduce opportunities for the virus to spread in our community,” medical officer of health Dr. Elizabeth Richardson said in a release.

The initiative is directed at those 18 years old and over that are transgender or cisgender individuals who self-identify as a man and belong to the community of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, as well as at least one of the following:

• identify as a contact of an individual who recently tested positive for monkeypox
• have had two or more sexual partners within the past three weeks (21 days) or may be planning to
• have been diagnosed with a chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis infection over the past two months
• have attended bath houses, sex clubs and other venues for sexual contact within the past three weeks (21 days); this includes workers and volunteers
• have had anonymous or casual sex in the past three weeks (21 days); for example, after using an online dating app, engaged in or planning to take part in sex work.

Vaccinations can be set up through Hamilton’s Public Health hotline at 905-974-9848 option 7.

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The World Health Organization has not yet categorized monkeypox as a global health emergency, but its director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Saturday there is concern over the outbreak.

“I am deeply concerned about the monkeypox outbreak. This is clearly an evolving health threat that my colleagues and I in the WHO Secretariat are following extremely closely,” Tedros said.

One death has been reported in the last six weeks from one of 48 countries where the affliction is not endemic.

So far in 2022, almost 1,500 cases and 70 deaths have occurred in central Africa, where the disease is more common, chiefly in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Monkeypox, a viral illness causing flu-like symptoms and skin lesions, has been spreading largely in men who have sex with men outside the countries where it is common.

As of Tuesday, Public health Ontario reported 67 laboratory-confirmed cases in the province.