Montreal confirms 126 monkeypox cases, vaccinations ongoing
Posted June 14, 2022 2:37 pm.
Last Updated June 14, 2022 2:45 pm.
Montreal remains the epicenter of monkeypox in Quebec and the country, with 126 of the 132 cases in the province. The city seeing a few new cases daily, but health officials say they have it under control.
Montreal’s public health director Dr. Mylène Drouin explained that the cases are all in men, who have had prolonged close contact with other men. Close contact meaning: skin to skin, exchange of bodily fluids, or contaminated objects like bed sheets or clothing – for prolonged periods of time – within the last 14 days of someone who was confirmed to have monkeypox.
Dr. Luc Boileau, Quebec’s interim public health director, says they are concerned, but that with the vaccination campaign launched in Montreal and over 3,000 people already vaccinated, they feel that things are under control.
“We are confident we have enough vaccines for those who need it or are at risk,” said Dr. Boileau, while also confirming that they have vaccinated some minors under 18 who were in close contact with a case.
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Quebec began offering a smallpox vaccine to certain close contacts of infected people in late May and say they will add more vaccine sites coming up.
Dr. Drouin adds that if there are men coming to Montreal from other regions, for social events, where they will have casual relations with others, or even if a person is a sex worker, she suggests they get vaccinated.
Monkeypox is a rare disease that comes from the same family of viruses that causes smallpox, which the World Health Organization (WHO) declared eradicated around the globe in 1980.
For more, head to Clic Santé or Montreal public health’s website.
