Toronto investigating first suspected case of monkeypox
Health officials in Toronto say they are investigating the first suspected case of monkeypox in the city.
In a news release issued Saturday afternoon, Toronto Public Health (TPH) said the suspected infection was found in a male resident in his 40s.
TPH said the patient had recent contact with an individual who travelled to Montreal and is currently in hospital in stable condition and recovering.
- Download our app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Members of the public may have been exposed to the virus if they attended the Axis Club (located at 722 College Street) on May 14 or Woody's bar (located at 467 Church Street) on either May 13 or May 14.
Officials highlighted that the risk to the general public is very low.
“Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by a virus that is normally found endemic in central and western Africa. It was first identified in monkeys, but its origins remain unknown,” TPH said in the release.
Symptoms of the virus include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and a rash that often begins on the face and spreads to other parts of the body.
TPH said that in most cases, people with a monekypox infection recover on their own without treatment.
The news comes after health officials in Quebec confirmed three cases of the virus on Friday on top of the two cases that were confirmed a day earlier.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is investigating about two dozen possible infections of monkeypox on top of the confirmed cases in Quebec and says the virus itself is spread through prolonged close contact.
It’s unclear how widespread the virus is in the country, but Canada’s top doctor has said PHAC is considering offering up smallpox vaccines -- which can offer protection against monkeypox -- to prevent infection.
“Quebec had some interest in terms of the contacts so that is under discussion right now, but of course we need to know some of the epidemiology as quickly as possible,” Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said on Thursday.
In the meantime, TPH is advising close contacts of people with a suspected or confirmed case to monitor for symptoms for 21 days after exposure. If symptoms develop, they should self-isolate, seek care and get tested.
With files from the Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
'A huge difference': These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
OPINION No reunion between Prince Harry and the King signifies a setback for royal unity
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef escalated within weeks
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
NEW For their protection, immigrants critical of China and India call for speedy passage of Canada's foreign interference legislation
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Spanish prosecutors recommend 2nd investigation into Shakira's taxes be thrown out
Spanish state prosecutors recommended Wednesday that an investigating judge shelve a probe into another alleged case of tax fraud by pop star Shakira.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.