Canada confirms first case of clade I mpox in country
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The PHAC said that while the risk to Canada’s general population at this time remains low, it continues to actively monitor the situation.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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OTTAWA - Canada’s public health agency on Nov 22 confirmed the first case of clade I mpox in the country, in a person in the province of Manitoba.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said this travel-related case was associated with an ongoing outbreak of clade I mpox in central and eastern Africa.
“The individual sought medical care for mpox symptoms in Canada shortly after their return and is currently isolating,” the agency said in a statement.
“PHAC is working closely with the public health authorities in Manitoba. The National Microbiology Laboratory notified the province on Nov 22 that the sample tested positive for mpox clade Ib,” the agency further said.
While clade II mpox has been circulating in Canada since 2022, this is the first case of clade I mpox confirmed in the country, the PHAC further said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) earlier in the day had said that the mpox outbreak continues to represent a public health emergency.
The WHO declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years in August after a new variant of the virus, called clade Ib, spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo to neighbouring countries.
Mpox is a viral infection that spreads through close contact and typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. It is usually mild, but it can be lethal.
The PHAC added that while the risk to Canada’s general population at this time remains low, it continues to actively monitor the situation.
It also said that a public health investigation, including contact tracing, is ongoing. REUTERS
