Quebec is expanding its monkeypox vaccination efforts as the virus continues to spread

With 132 confirmed cases in Quebec, the state’s interim public health director said the monkeypox epidemic is slowly progressing daily and vaccinations are being given to men who expect sexual contact with other men in Montreal this summer. It states that its efforts are expanding.

Quebec has 40,000 doses of vaccine, and Montreal authorities expect 25,000 doses to cover the city’s target population.

“There are certainly cases we haven’t seen because it’s an insidious illness that doesn’t show many symptoms,” Dr. Luc Boileau said at a press conference on Monday.

Dr. Milene Drouin, director of public health in Montreal, said the city was the epicenter of the outbreak in North America.

To date, more than 3,000 vaccines have been given, and authorities are focusing on people who may have been exposed to the virus. Currently, the vaccine is available to all men who may have sex with other men within the next few months, Drouin said.

“By expanding vaccinations, we know there are visitors and we are trying to prevent the spread. We hold various events and put people at risk,” she said. Told.

“I don’t know if there will be zero cases, but at least I think we can control the current outbreak and minimize the number of new cases.”

Montreal Super Spreader Event

It is believed that travelers attended an event in Montreal (now considered a super-spreader event) at the end of April, and an incident occurred in May, leading to an infection in the community, she said. explained.

She said the super-spreader event happened at about the same time as other outbreaks in some European cities.

The fact that there are many anonymous contacts resulting from this event makes it difficult to track down potential infections and contain the disease, Drouin said.

So far, 126 cases have been investigated in Montreal and there have been 3 hospitalizations. Currently, there are no patients in the hospital and in most cases they are not seriously ill, she said.

Drouin said that 100% of the cases in Montreal were male and most had sexual contact with other males. She said the disease was predominantly spread by long-term intimate skin-to-skin contact.

“Currently, there are outbreaks focused on specific communities,” she said.

“For the general public, there is no new chain of communication that could lead to groups of other people.”

This is similar to what Dr. Theresa Tam, Director of Public Health in Canada, said. Late last week..

She said that all patients were men between the ages of 20 and 63, with the majority having sexual contact with other men, but those exposed by close contact with infected individuals and others. An object that emphasizes that the infection can spread to contaminated people.

WHO to discuss the situation of monkeypox

World Health Organization convenes an emergency committee Next week To discuss monkeypox, there are 1,600 confirmed and suspected cases of monkeypox worldwide this year, with 72 deaths in 39 countries, including countries where the virus normally spreads. Monkeypox is endemic in parts of Africa.

Mr Boarrow said public health is working to address issues in Montreal and other Quebec states.

“We’ve done a lot of intervention, especially here in Montreal,” Boileau said.

According to Quebec public health, monkeypox can spread from the onset of symptoms until the scabs that cover the skin lesions fall off and a healthy layer of skin is formed. The incubation period is usually less than a week, but can last up to 21 days.

In most cases, the illness resolves spontaneously in 2-4 weeks and complications are rare, health agencies say. High-risk contacts may receive a single vaccination within 4 days of exposure.