Toronto confirmed seven additional cases of monkeypox on Monday.
Public Health officials say the new cases bring the total number of confirmed infections to 18. Twenty-three other cases are currently under investigation.
Over the weekend the city started the first of several community-based vaccine clinics targeting those who have had close contact with someone who has tested positive for monkeypox, as well as those with high risk contacts, and those who have a higher risk of being exposed to the virus.
The vaccine was approved by Health Canada in 2020 and is approved for individuals aged 18 and up.
Monkeypox is a virus that spreads through contact with body fluids, as well as prolonged face-to-face contact or skin-to-skin contact with a lesion.
Those infected will generally start experiencing a general feeling of being unwell, including symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes.
A couple of days later a rash may appear, typically on the face. Health officials have said the rash start off with small red bumps such as the chickenpox, but then the lesions fill with clear fluid and can spread to the rest of the body.
The first Toronto vaccination clinic is specifically for workers at Toronto bathhouses. It’s run by Toronto Public Health (TPH) in partnership with Gay Men's Sexual Health Alliance (GMSH) and other community organizations.
