Montreal public health has confirmed that several cases of monkey pox are being studied in the metropolis. As is happening today in Europe, this outbreak is currently affecting the homosexual community.
Monkeypox is a viral disease, also called monkeypox virus disease or monkeypox in English, which often shows fever, headache or back pain, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and skin rashes similar to the cause of chickenpox.
Endemic to West Africa, this disease is usually transmitted through contact with infected animals, but it can also spread to humans. There is no treatment, but it usually heals on its own.
Outbreaks in gay and bisexual communities have been recorded recently in several European countries, including the UK, Spain and Portugal. In total, more than 40 suspected or confirmed cases have been reported so far.
In Montreal, all patients were seen in clinics where sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) were diagnosed: four in the L’Actuel clinic, five in L’Agora and four in La Licorne.
The results of their tests are sent to laboratories for analysis. An announcement can take place on Thursday or Friday.
In 2003, an epidemic of monkeypox struck the United States. About 70 cases were identified, but none of them led to death.
Monkeypox is usually mild. There are two main strains: the Congo strain, which is more severe – with up to 10% mortality – and the West African strain, which has a case fatality rate of approximately 1%.
More details will follow.
Source: Radio-Canada
