Quebec to provide update on monkeypox outbreak as province confirms 16 cases
Quebec's public health department is set to give its first press conference on the growing monkeypox outbreak as the province recorded its 16th confirmed case Wednesday.
Interim public health director Dr. Luc Boileau will provide an update for the media Thursday morning alongside Dr. Geneviève Bergeron, the medical officer of health emergencies and infectious diseases at the Montreal Regional Public Health Department, and Dr. Caroline Quach, a microbiologist and infectious disease expert at the Sainte-Justine hospital.
CTV News will have live coverage of the update at 9 a.m. on ctvmontreal.ca.
All of the confirmed cases in Canada are from Quebec, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said in a news release. Quebec has been the Canadian hotspot for the rare disease ever since the first two positive infections were confirmed on May 19. About a dozen suspected cases are also under investigation.
However, as samples from other provinces are being analyzed at the national microbiology laboratory in Winnipeg, more cases in Canada are expected to be confirmed in the coming days.
To help Quebec deal with its outbreak, PHAC sent a "small shipment" of the Imvamune vaccine from Canada's National Emergency Strategic Stockpile. Other provinces are also expected to receive what the federal government calls "pre-positioning supply shipments."
"At this point, and in alignment with international expert assessments, including the World Health Organization (WHO), there is no need for the vaccine to be used for mass immunization," Canada's public health agency said in the release.
"In Canada, experts and health authorities are continuing to investigate the spread of monkeypox and will regularly assess the situation as it evolves."
In the next few days, PHAC says it will release guidance on infection prevention and control based on research from international and domestic partners.
While monkeypox is not classified as a sexually transmitted infection, most cases in Canada have been transmitted through sexual activity and are mild infections, officials say.
That's why Quebec public health recommends people who have been in close contact with a suspected case or someone with similar symptoms to watch for symptoms for 21 days and to avoid sexual contact. If symptoms arise, people are advised to get tested by a health-care professional.
Symptoms of monkeypox include lesions on the mouth or genitals, which usually appear after several days of other common symptoms, including fever, night sweats, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and joint or muscle pain.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
'I killed four people': Trial hears video evidence of Jeremy Skibicki at Winnipeg trial
“I killed four people,” alleged serial killer Jeremy Skibicki told two homicide detectives during a recorded interview played as evidence in his trial Wednesday.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.