MONTREAL — The number of monkeypox cases in Quebec has doubled in less than a week, according to the update from the Ministry of Health.
The ministry said on Twitter on Wednesday that there were 52 reported cases in Quebec as of May 31.
Last Thursday, Health Quebec said there were 25 confirmed cases in the province, most of them in Montreal.
Health officials say this virus does not spread easily between people and is not as transmissible as the virus that causes COVID-19.
Quebec has the largest monkeypox outbreak reported in the country.
Toronto Public Health said Wednesday there is a second confirmed case of monkeypox in the city, affecting a man in his 40s.
The first case of the disease in Toronto was confirmed on May 26.
Public Health says six other cases are still under investigation. Nine cases that were under investigation were declared negative.
In New Brunswick, the Minister of Health says the province has identified a suspected case of monkeypox.
Dorothy Shephard says the case was first identified in early May, but has yet to be confirmed by the national lab in Winnipeg.
Until the case is confirmed, Ms Shephard says she will not release any details regarding the person involved or the area of the province in which they live.
Monkeypox is a rare disease that comes from the same family of viruses that causes smallpox, which the World Health Organization declared eradicated worldwide in 1980.
The symptoms reported consist mainly of skin lesions in the mouth and genitals. These signs may be preceded or accompanied by fever; night sweats; headache; swollen glands and joint or muscle pain.
The disease resolves on its own in two to four weeks in the majority of cases. Very rare cases of serious complications can occur, however.
