Public Health Ontario reports 21 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Ottawa, the second highest number of cases in the province behind Toronto.
As of Thursday, the province had confirmed 288 cases of the virus, with 220 in Toronto. All but one of the 288 confirmed cases since May 20 have been men. Nine people in Ontario have been hospitalized due to the virus, including two in intensive care. No one has died from monkeypox in Ontario.
Although cases have mostly been identified among men who report sexual or intimate contact with other men, anyone can get monkeypox. The most common risk factors include having sexual or intimate contact with new partners and/or more than one partner.
The province reported five new cases in Ottawa between Tuesday and Thursday. The province has also confirmed one case in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit and one case in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark. There have been no confirmed cases in Renfrew County or the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington health units, according to the latest data available.
The World Health Organization says the spreading monkeypox outbreak is now a global emergency.
Ottawa Public Health has administered more than 1,000 doses of monkeypox vaccine locally. More information about who is eligible for the vaccine and where to get it can be found on the OPH website.
Monkey pox is an infectious disease caused by a virus found in some species of wildlife in central and western Africa. In recent weeks, it has spread around the world, affecting more than 16,000 people in more than 70 countries.
Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, headache, exhaustion, and a rash that often appears on the face and limbs a few days after symptoms begin. The virus can be spread to another person through contact with exposed skin, the respiratory tract, or the eyes, nose, or mouth.