Monkeypox case count rises to 9 in Toronto: What to know, and how to stay safe

Toronto’s monkeypox virus case count has risen to nine, public health officials confirmed on Thursday.

The number of positive monkeypox infections was holding at eight since last Friday. Toronto Public Health (TPH) says 23 cases are currently under investigation.

TPH says officials will keep the public informed with updated data shared from Monday to Friday at 3 p.m.

Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis disease transmitted between species from animals to humans.

How to stay safe from monkeypox 

After a monkeypox exposure or infection, TPH says symptoms usually appear seven to 14 days later but can also range from five to 21 days later.

The most common symptoms include fever, headache and muscle aches. Rash or lesions generally appear one to three days after fever.

Recent evidence suggests that individuals most at risk are those who have had close physical contact with someone with Monkeypox while they are symptomatic.

Toronto Public Health confirmed on Thursday the positive case count of the monkeypox virus has risen to nine. Photo: (Image credit: ROGER HARRIS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY via Getty Images).

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends measures to reduce exposure to the monkeypox virus, including washing your hands frequently, avoiding contact with infected people and wearing a face mask, among other criteria.

Public Health Ontario (PHO) says it is actively monitoring, reviewing and assessing relevant information related to the worldwide Monkeypox outbreak.

In May 2022, over 400 confirmed monkeypox cases with no direct travel links to monkeypox endemic areas were reported from over 20 countries, including Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.

PHO says attendance at large-scale international events “may have facilitated [the] seeding of the Monkeypox virus worldwide,” also citing a lack of general awareness of the Monkeypox virus.

Smallpox vaccines are thought to be about 85 per cent effective against Monkeypox infection, according to the CDC and the WHO. However, PHO cites a lack of cross-protection from smallpox vaccination in younger populations as another factor in the spread, as a direct result “of the discontinuation of the population-level immunization program following eradication of smallpox.

Monkeypox is commonly considered most infectious from the onset of the initial lesions until scabs have fallen off and new skin is present. Most infected individuals will recover on their own within two to four weeks.

Monkeypox is rarely fatal.

With files from The Associated Press and The World Health Organization