16 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Ottawa

This 2003 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows mature, oval-shaped monkeypox virions, left, and spherical immature virions, right, obtained from a sample of human skin associated with the 2003 prairie dog outbreak. The World Health Organization will convene an emergency committee of experts to determine if the expanding monkeypox outbreak that has mysteriously spread outside its usual zones should be considered an international public health emergency. (Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Russell Regner/CDC via AP, file)

Ottawa Public Health has administered more than 1,000 doses of the monkeypox vaccine to Ottawa residents, as the confirmed number of cases of the rare viral disease in the capital continues to climb.

As of Tuesday, there were 16 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Ottawa, up from 11 a week ago. Ottawa has the second highest number of monkeypox cases in Ontario, behind 172 cases in Toronto.

There are three confirmed cases in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit, one case in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit region and no cases in Renfrew County.

Ottawa Public Health would not disclose any information on the confirmed cases of monkeypox in Ottawa.

"Ottawa Public Health follows up with and provides guidance to all individuals who have tested positive for monkeypox and their close contacts," the health unit said in a statement to CTV News Ottawa.

"OPH has been offering and administering vaccination to offer protection for those who have had close contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus."

As of Tuesday, 1,097 doses of the Imvamune vaccine have been administered to protect against monkeypox.

Ottawa Public Health says it is working with community partners to administer vaccines to individuals at higher risk of monkeypox.

According to the Ontario Ministry of Health guidelines, trans or cis-gender individuals who self-identify as belonging to the gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men community are eligible for pre-exposure prophylaxis. The health unit says they must meet one of the following criteria: 

• Have received a diagnosis of bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the past two months
• Have had two or more sexual partners within the past 21 days, or may be planning to 
• Have attended venues for sexual contact within the past 21 days, or may be planning to, or who work/volunteer in these settings
• Have had anonymous/casual sex in the past 21 days, or may be planning to
• Engage in sex for work or may be planning to

Ottawa Public Health says eligible individuals may receive the monkeypox vaccine at the Centretown Community Health Centre during clinic hours on Thursday and Friday and next week on July 25, July 27, July 28 and July 29. For more information, visit https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/public-health-topics/monkeypox-virus.aspx.

Monkeypox is an infectious disease caused by a virus found in some wildlife species of central and western Africa.

Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, headache, exhaustion and a rash that often appears on the face and the extremities a few days after symptoms begin. The virus may transmit to another person through contact to exposed skin, the respiratory tract or the eyes, nose or mouth.