Canada reports first two monkeypox cases

Montreal: Canada has reported its first two confirmed cases of monkeypox, adding to the growing number of cases in Europe and North America of the contagious, but rarely deadly disease.

“Tonight, the Province of Quebec was notified that two samples received by the NML (National Microbiology Laboratory) have tested positive for monkeypox—usually concentrated in West Africa — may be spreading.

These are the first two cases confirmed in Canada,” the Public Health Agency of Canada said in a release.

According to details, several countries including Portugal and Spain have reported cases of monkeypox in recent weeks, with a U.S. case identified by Massachusetts public health officials on Wednesday.

Authorities stated that suspected cases are under investigation in Montreal, Quebec’s largest city.

Monkeypox is an uncommon disease that usually causes symptoms of fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and a chickenpox-like rash on the hands and face.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) Wednesday noted that anyone “can spread monkeypox through contact with body fluids, monkeypox sores, or shared items (such as clothing and bedding) that have been contaminated with fluids or sores of a person with monkeypox,” adding that household disinfectants can kill the virus on surfaces.