“While the global outbreak of monkeypox is of grave concern, there is optimism that by focusing efforts in Canada and globally, we can take advantage of this window of opportunity to limit the spread,” said Dr. Theresa Tam, chief of public health at Canada. So far, Tam said, the disease has been almost exclusively limited to men — 99 percent of infected people are men and over 36 years old. Most of the cases reported in Canada were among men who have sex with men. There are now 346 cases in Quebec, 326 in Ontario, 58 in BC, 12 in Alberta, two in Saskatchewan and one in the Yukon. More than 16,000 cases have been reported worldwide. Tam said she believes that number is lower than the actual number of cases. The number of cases worldwide has increased by 48 percent in the past week, and the disease has now spread to 75 countries, PHAC said. Last week, the head of the World Health Organization declared that the monkeypox outbreak was an “extraordinary” situation that was designated as a global emergency. “We have an outbreak that has spread around the world rapidly through new modes of transmission about which we understand very little and that meet the criteria of international health regulations,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. A global emergency is the WHO’s highest level of alert, but the designation does not necessarily mean that a disease is particularly contagious or deadly.
Using Grindr to fight monkey pox
Tam said the outbreak Canada is experiencing can be stopped using specific strategies that target the right groups of people. Those strategies, he said, could include a public awareness campaign focused on gay and bisexual men through community organizations, educational settings and dating apps like Grindr. A color transmission electron micrograph image of monkeypox particles (wax) found inside an infected cell (brown) recorded at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Integrated Research Facility in Fort Adtrick, Maryland. (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) “We have to remain vigilant,” he said. “Frontline health professionals, if they think they’re seeing patients with rashes or other potential risk factors, then they test them. “That’s the most important thing – to remain vigilant on the front lines.” Tam said little is known about how monkeypox is spread and how people can protect themselves.
We have enough vaccines, for now, says Tam
In Africa, where the disease has existed for decades, monkeypox is primarily spread to people from infected wild animals such as rodents in limited outbreaks that usually have not crossed borders. In Europe, North America and elsewhere, monkeypox is now spreading to people who have no ties to wildlife and have not recently traveled to Africa. Tam said health officials still don’t know if asymptomatic carriers of the disease can spread it to others. “Learning from the HIV pandemic is very important, so engaging with affected communities from the beginning to find solutions will be our best weapon against the spread of this virus,” he said. PHAC officials said 70,000 doses of the Imvamune vaccine have been sent to the provinces and about 27,000 have been administered. Tam said Canada has an adequate supply of vaccine for now. He urged vulnerable groups, such as men who have sex with men, to get vaccinated to limit the spread. Public Health Canada is also asking men who have sex with men to practice safe sex and limit the number of partners they have sex with, especially if those partners are casual acquaintances.
