Mpox (monkeypox): Outbreak update

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Current situation

Canada

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is working with provincial and territorial public health partners to investigate cases of mpox (monkeypox) in Canada.

PHAC is continuing to collect and analyze epidemiological information reported by the provinces and territories to help define the national scope of the investigation and to determine if there are any increased health risks to people in Canada. Going forward, case numbers may change as provinces and territories continue to receive confirmatory testing results from PHAC's National Microbiology Laboratory. On an ongoing basis, provinces and territories are reviewing case data in their jurisdictions and those that meet the case definition will be reported to PHAC to be included in the national investigation.

Global

Aside from Canada, other countries that are not an endemic area for mpox are also reporting cases of mpox, which represents a highly unusual event. Surveillance to date in non-endemic areas has been limited, but is now expanding. Available information suggests that human-to-human transmission is occurring among people in close physical contact with cases who are symptomatic.

On July 23, 2022 the World Health Organization (WHO) Director General issued a statement  declaring that the global mpox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). Since the beginning of the outbreak, our top priority has been protecting the health of all Canadians. The Government of Canada acknowledges the WHO's determination and will continue its work with provinces and territories as it has since the start of the mpox outbreak. Consult the following statement for more information on PHAC's ongoing response to mpox.

The WHO website offers more information on the global situation.

For Canadian travellers, PHAC's travel health notice outlines potential health risks and recommends ways to help reduce them.

How Canada is monitoring mpox (monkeypox)

The Public Health Agency of Canada is working with provinces, territories and international partners, including the World Health Organization, to actively monitor the situation. Global efforts are focused on containment of the outbreak and the prevention of further spread.

Canada's Chief Public Health Officer of Canada is in close contact with provincial and territorial Chief Medical Officers of Health to ensure that any cases of mpox occurring in Canada continue to be rapidly identified and managed in order to protect the health of Canadians.

Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory is performing diagnostic testing for the virus that causes mpox. In addition, the laboratory is also conducting whole genome sequencing, an enhanced fingerprint analysis, on Canadian samples of monkeypox virus. This sequencing will help our experts understand the chains of transmission occurring in Canada. The laboratory is working in close collaboration with provincial and territorial public health laboratories to provide testing guidance and to increase testing capacity for mpox.

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