By LINCOLN DEPRADINE
Ontario health minister, Sylvia Jones, says the province has an adequate supply of vaccine to protect against mpox, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has labelled as a public health emergency of international concern.
“I have worked closely with the chief medical officer of health to ensure that we have sufficient vaccines to protect our most vulnerable and at-risk citizens from mpox,” Jones told reporters from Share and other ethnic media at a news conference.
Mpox – formerly known as monkeypox – is a viral disease that can spread between people, mainly through close contact and, occasionally, it’s transmitted to people via objects and surfaces that have been touched by a person with mpox.
The contagious disease, which can cause flu-like symptoms, carries with it common symptoms such as a rash lasting for two to four weeks, as well as fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.
Scientists also say it’s possible for the virus to persist for some time on clothing, bedding, towels, electronics and surfaces that have been touched by a person with mpox. Someone else who is in contact with these items may become infected without first washing their hands and then touching their eyes, nose and mouth.
Between 0.1 per cent and 10 per cent of people who have become infected with mpox have died.
This is the second time mpox has been declared an international emergency. A declaration was also made in the summer of 2022. On that occasion, mpox cases – especially in parts of Africa – were on the increase. At that time, the virus had also spread to more than 70 countries.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, nearly 32,000 Americans fell sick to mpox in 2022.
The WHO declared the latest outbreak of the disease a public health emergency of international concern on August 14, after the identification of a new mpox variant, called Clade 1, which seems to spread more easily though routine close contact.
The declaration followed a bulletin from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which reported that the outbreak of mpox on the continent had killed more than 500 people. A call was also made for international help to stop the further spread of mpox.
Sweden became the first country outside Africa to record a case of the mpox Clade 1 but it has reached other countries in Europe and has shown up in Canada and the United States, including Ohio that reported 459 cases of mpox as of August 15.
In the English-speaking Caribbean, no cases of mpox Clade 1b have been reported. However, regional leaders have emphasized the “importance of heightened vigilance” within member-countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
“Enhanced surveillance for rapid identification of possible cases is essential to ensure the safety and health security of our citizens,” CARICOM said in a statement issued by its current chairman, Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell.
“It is important to be vigilant for any unusual rashes or lesions, especially if individuals have a travel history to areas with reported cases of mpox and seek immediate medical attention if signs or symptoms are detected. Additionally, reporting any suspicious cases to local health authorities is a critical step in allowing for further epidemiological investigation,” said Mitchell.
“Through our collective efforts and heightened awareness, the Caribbean Community can effectively safeguard the health and wellbeing of our communities against this public health concern.”
Tackling and controlling mpox requires countries and agencies working together, said Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe.
“We can and must tackle mpox together,” he said. “So, will we choose to put the systems in place to control and eliminate mpox globally? Or we will enter another cycle of panic and neglect? How we respond now and, in the years to come, will prove a critical test for Europe and the world.”
A spike in reported cases of mpox was reported in late June and July in Toronto, following major events and festivals in the city.
Vaccination, says Toronto Public Health (TPH) officials, is the best way to prevent further spread of mpox and they recommend two doses given at least 28 days apart for the best protection.
Jones, the health minister and deputy premier of Ontario, is not demanding people get themselves vaccinated but she’s urging them to do so, especially if they’re considered to be at high risk not just to mpox infection but also to other viruses like COVID and the flu.
People who are most at risk for mpox include those who are immune-compromised, HIV positive or have cancer.
“I would encourage people, if they are in one of the at-risk categories, to have those conversations with their primary care practitioners and their local public health offices, and take advantage of the vaccines that we have to protect our citizens,” said Jones. “We want people to make those personal health choices to keep themselves and their families safe.”
Jones was asked about the re-emergence of mpox and the presence of COVID, which is still infecting people.
“We have seen ebbs and flows of COVID in our community, and that will continue. We will continue to offer the vaccines for people who make the determination that it is right for them,” she said, responding to a question from Share.
“I really hope that if you are in one of those high-risk areas that you take advantage of the vaccines that Ontario has procured, whether it is for flu, if you’re a senior, whether it is for COVID and, of course, mpox. We spend a lot of money in the Province of Ontario to keep people healthy and keep people safe and we need people to make those determinations personally and, ultimately, act on them.”
