The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed a single case in that state Wednesday, in a man who had recently travelled to Canada. The latest two cases have no travel link to a country where the disease is known to be, so that may indicate community transmission. The current outbreak was first noticed in the U.K., with at least nine cases reported since May 6, according to the U.K. Where is it? The WHO has confirmed cases in the U.S., U.K., and Northern Ireland, and public health officials have also reported cases in Portugal, Spain, Italy and Sweden. Usually the people who get infected from other people are in the same household, she said.
They also can be transmitted through direct contact with body fluids or with skin,” added Rasmussen. You can inhale them or ingest them in breath or respiratory secretions. “Orthopoxvirus viruses are spread in infectious aerosols. It can also spread from one human to another, but that usually needs “prolonged close contact with another person,” or “somebody else’s clothing or bedding. Tam said Canada is considering a similar strategy. The risk to the public is low, but, as routine vaccination against smallpox ended decades ago, many people are susceptible.Ĭanada is considering smallpox vaccine for monkeypox cases, Tam said.Ī smattering of cases in the United Kingdom prompted that country to begin offering the vaccine to health workers and close contacts of confirmed cases. It’s unusual for the world to see these many cases reported in different countries outside of Africa,” Tam said. “So far, we do know not many of these individuals are connected to travel to Africa, where the disease is normally seen. Theresa Tam, told reporters at a press briefing that the federal public health agency still does not know how widespread the virus may be. Meanwhile, Canada’s top public health officials say they are investigating a “couple dozen” possible cases, in an “unusual” outbreak of the disease.Ĭhief public health officer, Dr. Two cases of monkeypox have been confirmed, Health Canada reported Thursday.