Category: Monkey Pox Vaccine

Bavarian Nordic has commercially launched its mpox (monkeypox) vaccine Jynneos (Imvanex/Imvamune) in the US, creating more avenues for its procurement, distribution, and reimbursement, and catering to both public and private healthcare providers.

Healthcare providers now have the option to request Jynneos via chosen wholesalers and distribution channels, thereby increasing access for vulnerable individuals at nearby pharmacies, doctors offices, and public health centres.

Mpox is a rare viral disease most commonly found in Central and West Africa. It is similar to smallpox, but less severe and causes fever, rash, and muscle aches and spreads through contact with infected animals or materials.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) originally approved Jynneos in 2019 for the prevention of smallpox and mpox. In May 2022, a case of mpox was confirmed in the UK, originating from a British resident who had travelled to Nigeria. Cases then emerged in countries where the disease is not endemic, and continue to be reported in several endemic countries, according to the WHO. In the 10 major pharmaceutical markets (UK, US, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, and Canada), GlobalData epidemiologists estimated there were more than 66,674 incident cases of mpox in 2022.

GlobalData is the parent company of Pharmaceutical Technology.

The same year, following the declaration of public health emergencies from the FDA and WHO, the FDA recommended an emergency use authorisation of the vaccine for the prevention of mpox and smallpox disease in individuals aged 18 years and older who are at high risk of infection.

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Your download email will arrive shortly

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

Country * UK USA Afghanistan land Islands Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Cte d"Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curaao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati North Korea South Korea Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territory Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Runion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and The South Sandwich Islands Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates US Minor Outlying Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam British Virgin Islands US Virgin Islands Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Kosovo

Industry * Academia & Education Aerospace, Defense & Security Agriculture Asset Management Automotive Banking & Payments Chemicals Construction Consumer Foodservice Government, trade bodies and NGOs Health & Fitness Hospitals & Healthcare HR, Staffing & Recruitment Insurance Investment Banking Legal Services Management Consulting Marketing & Advertising Media & Publishing Medical Devices Mining Oil & Gas Packaging Pharmaceuticals Power & Utilities Private Equity Real Estate Retail Sport Technology Telecom Transportation & Logistics Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Venture Capital

Tick here to opt out of curated industry news, reports, and event updates from Pharmaceutical Technology.

Submit and download

Jynneos is derived from the parental strain of modified vaccinia virus Ankara, which is a highly attenuated pox virus that has lost the capacity to replicate in human cells. The vaccine is currently the only available approved live, non-replicating mpox vaccine, according to Bavarian Nordic.

The vaccine has been a huge driver of revenue for Bavarian Nordic, with the company reporting Jynneos sales of DKr5bn ($725m) in 2023, and an overall revenue of DKr7.06bn ($1bn) compared to DKr3.15bn ($456m) in 2022. In August 2023, the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) placed a $120m order for bulk manufacturing of the vaccine.

In the announcement accompanying the launch, Bavarians CEO Paul Chaplin said: Building on the trust and reliability as a supplier of vaccines to the US government for more than a decade, we are proud to extend our commitment to improving the nations public health by making our mpox vaccine widely available to at-risk individuals through the regular channels.

Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights.

Visit link:

Bavarian Nordic expands access to mpox vaccine in US - Pharmaceutical Technology

More than 570 cases of mpox have been detected in the U.S. so far in 2024 nearly double the number seen by this time last year.

This infection rate doesn't come close to that seen at the peak of the mpox outbreak in early August 2022, when the U.S. saw an average of about 470 new cases in a week. However, the new data highlight that mpox is still circulating and that there's still a need for people who are at risk of infection to get vaccinated.

The most widely used mpox vaccine in the U.S., called JYNNEOS, is given in two doses spaced a month apart. A person is fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose, and no booster shots are currently recommended. You can check whether you're eligible for the vaccine and where to get the shots on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. Various local health departments, such as those of New York City and San Francisco, also have their own vaccine-site finders.

The vaccine is not widely recommended to everyone. Rather, select groups for example, gay and bisexual men with recent sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnoses have been identified as at risk of mpox and made eligible for the shots.

Related: Should everyone get a monkeypox vaccine?

"Most of the cases that we're seeing reported are either unvaccinated or under-vaccinated, meaning they either never received a vaccine, or they only got one dose," Dr. Jenni McQuiston, deputy director of the CDC's High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology division, told ABC News.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is caused by a relative of the now-eradicated variola virus, which causes smallpox. Mpox viruses come in two broad types: clade I and clade II. Clade I is more likely than clade II to cause severe and fatal disease. Although clade I has not been detected in the U.S. to date, it's possible that travelers could carry the viruses to the country from other places, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the CDC cautioned in December 2023. The JYNNEOS vaccine guards against both clades.

Get the worlds most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.

In general, mpox viruses can cause flu-like symptoms, such as fever, muscle aches, fatigue and swollen lymph nodes. However, during the outbreak's peak in 2022, not all cases involved such symptoms. The disease's characteristic pox rashes typically start out as discolored patches and then progress to raised bumps, blisters, and large, pus-filled pimples that scab over and slough off. Depending on the case, these rashes may first appear around the face and in the oral cavity and then spread to the extremities, or they may initially show up around the genitals and anus.

People with severely weakened immune systems, including those with HIV; children younger than 1 year; people with a history of eczema; and people who are pregnant face a higher risk of severe disease from mpox. The disease most often spreads through close contact with an infected person, especially through contact with their rashes.

Since May 2022, when the mpox outbreak hit the U.S., the country has seen more than 30,000 cases, most of which occurred in 2022. By the start of 2023, infection rates had slowed the U.S. recorded 298 cases between Jan. 1 and March 23, 2023. Compare that to this year, when 576 cases were reported in the same time frame, according to the CDC. (The agency adds that these case counts are provisional and subject to change.)

More than 110 of the cases this year were in New York City, 64 were in California and 50 were in Florida.

Anyone can catch mpox, but from the start of the outbreak, the disease has disproportionately affected gender-diverse and transgender people and also men who have sex with men. People in these groups who have had recent STI diagnoses or who have had more than one recent sex partner are recommended to get vaccinated for mpox.

However, CDC data suggest that mpox vaccination among these and other at-risk groups is not as high as it should be, with large portions of the at-risk population missing one or both vaccine doses.

"We felt like it was really important to get the word out that there is a continued risk from this virus. It's still here," Dr. Brandy Darby, director of the Division of Surveillance and Investigation in the Office of Epidemiology at the Virginia Department of Health, told CNN. The department recently issued a notice about the dozen mpox cases it's seen so far in 2024, in part because it saw 12 in all of 2023.

"We also wanted to give people time to protect themselves ahead of Pride season" in June, Darby said. "We're hoping this might encourage people to go ahead and get vaccinated so they can go out and enjoy their celebrations and not have to worry so much about mpox."

This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice.

Ever wonder why some people build muscle more easily than others or why freckles come out in the sun? Send us your questions about how the human body works to community@livescience.com with the subject line "Health Desk Q," and you may see your question answered on the website!

Visit link:

Mpox cases are far outpacing last year's numbers, CDC reports - Livescience.com

Fewer than 10 new cases were reported nationwide in December 2023, following a peak of 31 in November, according to the UKHSA.

Total English cases rose by 15 in March, the highest this year so far, according to data released on April 4, 2024.

Greater Manchesters health bosses said numbers remained really low in the region, but that vaccination remained important.

Currently, smallpox vaccines, which protect against the mpox virus, are only available to those eligible in Greater Manchester and London.

Sign up to our newsletters to get the latest stories sent straight to your inbox.

Dr Katy Sinka, head of sexually transmitted infections at UKHSA, said: Its important to remember that mpox has not gone away and although these are still low numbers, its vital that all those eligible for the vaccine come forward which is still available in London and Greater Manchester.

While mpox infection is mild for many, it can cause severe symptoms including unusual rashes and blisters, a fever and headache, so its important people remain alert to the risks.

Across the UK, there have been 3,908 confirmed or highly probable mpox cases since May 6, 2022, according to UKHSA.

Follow The Bolton News on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and TikTok.

Those eligible for the vaccine include gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men who have multiple sexual partners, participate in group sex or who attend sex on premises venues. Staff who work in these premises are also eligible.

You can find out how to book a vaccine at your nearest clinic through the NHS national service finder.

Analysis carried out by UKHSA indicates that one dose of the vaccine has an 84 per cent effectiveness against symptomatic infection.

The World Health Organization (WHO) renamed the disease from monkeypox to mpox after racist and stigmatising language was reported.

Jane Pilkington, director of population health for NHS Greater Manchester, said: The number of mpox cases in Greater Manchester are extremely low and we have seen little change so far this year.

This is in part due to high numbers of people getting vaccinated during our big mpox vaccination push which took place summer 2022 to summer 2023 and fewer confirmed cases nationally.

However, to maintain these low numbers, people should make sure they know what the signs and symptoms are especially when travelling abroad and remember that its never too late to book a vaccine using the national service finder to find when and where this can be done.

If youre infected with mpox, symptoms usually start five to 21 days later, and often get better by themselves over two to four weeks.

These symptoms can include: unusual rashes or lesions (blisters) on the body including mouth, genitals, and anus; flu-like symptoms including muscle and back aches, shivering (chills) and tiredness; a high temperature; swollen glands in the neck, armpits, or groin and anal or rectal pain.

It is also worth remembering that mpox can be passed on from person to person in a number of ways, including: any close physical contact with mpox blisters or scabs (including during sexual contact, kissing, cuddling, or holding hands); touching clothing, bedding or towels used by someone with mpox; and the coughs or sneezes of a person with mpox when theyre close to you.

If you are worried that you may have mpox, please call ahead before attending a health care centre to help reduce the chance of spreading the virus.

According to the NHS, it can take between five and 21 days for symptoms to appear after you first get infected with mpox.

Symptoms include:

Mpox symptoms (Image: UKHSA)

A rash, which is sometimes confused with chickenpox, usually appears one to five days after the first symptoms, often beginning on the face before spreading to other parts of the body. This can include the mouth, genitals, and anus.

How to protect yourself

If you have a story, I cover the whole borough of Bolton. Please get in touch at jack.fifield@newsquest.co.uk.

Read more from the original source:

Vaccination warning as monkeypox numbers on the rise - The Bolton News

MPOX cases are continuing to spread because protection from vaccines is fading, a study suggests.

Tens of thousands of Brits were jabbed against the virus previously known as monkeypox after an outbreak in the summer 2022.

But immunity from the vaccine may already be at zero, Swedish researchers suggested.

It means booster doses - and more widespread vaccination - may be needed in order to prevent another surge.

The vaccination programme in the UK ended in July 2023.

Cases of mpox are currently double the number seen this time last year in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC).

Dr Klara Sonden, of the Public Health Agency of Sweden, said: Our results indicate a rapid decline in neutralising antibodies after two doses.

These results, together with the continued spread of mpox in Europe, has prompted the consideration of a booster dose.

Long-term protective immunity might need a booster dose for its maintenance.

Mpox causes a blistering rash, a high temperature, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen glands, shivering, exhaustion and joint pain.

The global mpox outbreak exploded two years ago, with more than 30,000 cases in the US and 3,500 in the UK getting infected.

The virus was particularly prevalent in gay and bisexual men and it killed three people in the UK and 32 in the US.

The disease was declared no longer a public health emergency in the US last year, with cases dipping thanks to a mass vaccination scheme.

However, latest CDC data show some 570 cases have been detected in the US so far this year twice the number at the same point in 2023.

Health officials last week issued a warning that cases are increasing in Virginia, with four patients hospitalised since the start of the year.

Dr Brandy Darby, of the Virginia Department of Health, told CNN: We felt like it was really important to get the word out that there is a continued risk from this virus. It's still here.

We also wanted to give people time to protect themselves ahead of Pride season.

"We're hoping this might encourage people to go ahead and get vaccinated so they can go out and enjoy their celebrations and not have to worry so much about mpox."

Mpox is a virus that is more common in west or central Africa and is spread by physical contact with mpox blisters or scabs, including during sexual contact.

Touching clothing, bedding or towels used by someone with mpox and the coughs or sneezes of a person with mpox when they're close to you can also spread it.

The latest study, which will be presented at this years European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Barcelona, looked at how strong immunity is now.

Researchers looked at data from 100 men who visited a sexual health clinic in Stockholm in 2022.

They tested their blood before their first dose of a MVA vaccine, before their second dose, 28 days after their second dose, and three months after their second dose.

The MVA vaccine is a version of the smallpox vaccine. It was offered to those most at risk people in the UK in the summer of 2022, including gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.

The study found disease-fighting antibodies fell within a year of vaccination, and to zero within the first few months if the patients hadn't had a smallpox vaccine previously.

Some 67 of the 100 tested were certain they had never had a smallpox vaccine before - the jab was de-escalated globally in the 1970s after the disease was eliminated.

The study said among those without prior smallpox vaccination, fewer than half of the group showed any detectable antibodies at all 28 days after the second vaccination.

Dr Sonden said: Our findings corroborate other studies showing that mpox vaccination results in neutralising antibodies only in a proportion of vaccinees.

A significant decline occurs already during the first month post-vaccination.

Immunity after previous MPXV infection mounts a higher and more robust neutralising response. In conclusion, the findings merits the study of booster doses.

The researchers were backed by another team in Austria, who have reported a breakthrough case in a man who has had two doses of the vaccine.

A 35-year-old was fully vaccinated in November 2022, but fell unwell with mpox in January 2024 - even more severe than those unvaccinated, the Public Health Authority in Vienna stated.

A second breakthrough case reported in March 2024 is under investigation.

The MVA vaccine was originally given as one dose to those most at-risk in the UK due to a shortage.

But now, the second dose is offered around three months after the first.

The NHS mpox outbreak vaccination programme ended in July 2023. But it is still available in London and Greater Manchester to eligible people.

The first symptoms of monkeypox include:

Source:The NHS

See the article here:

Vaccine protection against mpox fading, warns study as cases start creeping up before summer celebra... - The Sun

Published by Mirror

By Estel Farell-Roig Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is on the rise in the US, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. The country as seen the number of infections double compared to this time last year. While the 2022 outbreak which saw cases across the country reach 32,000 is largely over, experts say some high-risk groups should continue taking extra precautions. According to a CDC expert, most reported cases are people who are either unvaccinated or under-vaccinated which means they only had one dose. The Jynneos vaccine is two doses and is advised for tho

Read More

See the original post here:

Mpox Cases Soar In US As High-risk Groups Urged To Get Vaccinated By Experts - Towleroad

Toronto Public Health will begin hosting a series of clinics to provide "low-barrier, convenient and equitable access" to mpox vaccinations on Wednesday.

According to TPH, 21 cases of mpox have been confirmed in Toronto since the start of this year, compared with a total of 27 cases for all of 2023.

The city is encouraging eligible residents to get vaccinated against the virus.

The first clinic on Wednesday will be available for walk-in appointments only, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The 519, a community centre at 519 Church Street.

The second clinic will run on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at . This clinic will not accept walk-ins and eligible residents will need to book appointments using TPHs online booking system.

The city will announce additional clinic locations, dates, and times on their website as they become available.

Additionally, eligible residents can receive the vaccine by appointment at the Crosswaysand Scarborough Sexual Health Clinics.

The vaccine is free of charge, and an OHIP card is not required. Residents can also inquire about vaccine availability where they currently access sexual healthcare services, according to TPH.

The public health unit said the virus has recently spread mostly between people who have had intimate or sexual contact, with men who have sex with men being the most affected.

The virus spreads through contact with infected lesions, skin blisters, body fluids or respiratory secretions.

Symptoms can start five to 21 days after exposure and include fever, headache, muscle aches, exhaustion, swollen lymph nodes and a rash or blisters and lesions on the skin.

Individuals who are members of the LGBTQ+ community who had a confirmed sexually transmitted infection, have or are planning to have two or more sexual partners, or have attended venues for sexual contact such as sex clubs are among those eligible to receive the mpox vaccine.

Eligible individuals who have not been vaccinated against mpox are encouraged to get their first dose of the vaccine as soon as possible, with a second dose given at least 28 days later, TPH said, adding that individuals planning to travel soon are encouraged to get vaccinated before leaving, as cases are being reported in various regions around the world. They say, the vaccine becomes most effective after two weeks.

The monkeypox disease comes from the same family of viruses that cause smallpox, which the World Health Organization declared eradicated around the globe in 1980. Smallpox vaccines have proven effective in combating the monkeypox virus.

With files from The Canadian Press

See the original post:

Toronto hosting free mpox vaccination clinics. Here's where they are being held - Toronto Star

The number of mpox cases in 2024 is already nearly double the number of cases that were detected in all of 2023.

The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recorded 582 cases of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, across all U.S. states and territories in 2024 to date. In 2023, a cumulative 299 cases were detected across the entire year.

The Middle Atlantic region New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania is currently reporting the highest number at 185 cases.

Mpox surged in the U.S. during 2022 when cases spread through the social networks of men who have sex with men. In the U.S., more than 32,000 cases of mpox were detected that year along with 58 total deaths.

The outbreak subsided through outreach and awareness as well as the use of the two-dose smallpox vaccine Jynneos, though access to this shot was hindered at first by limited supplies and poor planning.

Symptoms of the virus are flu-like and include a characteristic painful rash. It is primarily spread through skin contact, but unwashed clothing and bedsheets of an infected individual can also be a vector of transmission.

The public health emergency declaration for the mpox outbreak was allowed to expire in January 2023. Cases of mpox never quite reached zero, however, with the virus continuing to linger in the U.S.

There were concerns last year that a localized spread of mpox cases in Chicago could be the harbinger of a summer resurgence last May, though this ultimately didnt occur.

Bavarian Nordic, the manufacturer of Jynneos, announced Tuesday that its vaccine would now be commercially available in the U.S.

Through its existing nationwide vaccine distribution structure, Bavarian Nordic is now making the mpox vaccine commercially available across the nation. As of April 1, health care providers can order JYNNEOS through their preferred wholesaler and distribution partners to make it available for at-risk individuals at local pharmacies and physician offices in addition to public health clinics, the company said in a statement.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

Read the original here:

Mpox infections rise to almost double last year's numbers - AOL

There have been 21 cases of monkeypox in Toronto so far this year, almost reaching the total number of cases reported in 2023.

Toronto Public Health (TPH) released a statement yesterday reminding residents to get vaccinated against mpox amid the rise in local cases. In 2023, there were a total of 27 confirmed cases of the virus in Toronto.

The virus spreads between people through contact with infected lesions, skin blisters, body fluids or respiratory secretions, according to the health agency. It can also be transmitted by contact with contaminated materials like clothing or bedding and through bites or scratches from infected animals.

Currently, mpox has spread mostly between people who have had close/intimate or sexual contact with a person who has the virus with gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men being most affected, TPH said in a news release.

The agency adds that travel is not a significant factor among current cases in the city, which suggests local community transmission of the virus.

None of the current cases were fully vaccinated, emphasizing the importance of starting or completing the two-dose vaccine series for the best protection, TPH added.

Mpox symptoms can start five to 21 days after exposure and include fever, headache, muscle aches, exhaustion, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash or painful blisters and lesions on the skin including around the genitals.

Eligible individuals who are unvaccinated are encouraged to get their first dose as soon as possible, and a second dose 28 days later.

Vaccination can protect against the mpox virus and help reduce serious symptoms. Individuals who received a smallpox vaccination in the past are not protected against mpox, TPH said.

Residents can inquire about the free vaccine where they access sexual health care. An OHIP card is not required to receive the vaccine.

Continue reading here:

Toronto seeing rise in monkeypox cases; officials urging residents to get vaccinated - NOW Toronto

TORONTO - Twenty one cases of mpox have been confirmed in Toronto since the start of this year compared with a total of 27 cases for all of 2023, Toronto Public Health said on Wednesday.

The public health unit is encouraging eligible residents to get vaccinated against the virus formerly known as monkeypox amid the rise in cases.

It said travel is not a significant factor among the current cases, which suggests local transmission. The public health unit also said none of the affected individuals were fully vaccinated.

"Amidst increased cases of mpox in Toronto, it's important to recognize that cases are predominantly non-travel-related, emphasizing the importance of vaccination," Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto's Medical Officer of Health, wrote in a statement.

"Completing the two-dose vaccination series provides the best protection against mpox and helps reduce serious symptoms.

The public health unit said the virus has spread recently mostly between people who have had intimate or sexual contact, with men who have sex with men the most affected.

The virus spreads through contact with infected lesions, skin blisters, body fluids or respiratory secretions.

Symptoms can start five to 21 days after exposure and include fever, headache, muscle aches, exhaustion, swollen lymph nodes and a rash or blisters and lesions on the skin.

Individuals who are members of the LGBTQ+ community who had a confirmed sexually transmitted infection, have or are planning to have two or more sexual partners, or have attended venues for sexual contact such as sex clubs are among those eligible to receive the mpox vaccine.

"We want to remind cis and trans gay, bi, queer, and all men who have sex with men, to get their first and second dose of the mpox vaccine," Devan Nambiar, manager at Gay Mens Sexual Health Alliance wrote in a statement.

"Mpox has not been entirely eradicated and we want you to take care of yourself and protect your sexual partners."

The monkeypox disease comes from the same family of viruses that cause smallpox, which the World Health Organization declared eradicated around the globe in 1980. Smallpox vaccines have proven effective in combating the monkeypox virus.

___

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Read more:

Toronto reports 21 mpox cases so far this year, after 27 cases in all of 2023 - Toronto Star

Toronto

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share by Email

Rochelle Raveendran - CBC News

Posted: March 20, 2024 Last Updated: March 20, 2024

Toronto Public Health (TPH) is advising people to get vaccinated against mpox amidst an increase in confirmed cases of the virus in the city this year.

Twenty-one cases of mpox, previously known as monkeypox, have been reported in Toronto this year, TPH said in a news release on Wednesday.

This is an increase from 2023, where 27 cases were reported for the entire year, according to the news release.

Mpox is a virus that spreads from person to person through contact with infected lesions, skin blisters, body fluids or respiratory secretions, TPH said.

The virus has "spread mostly between people who have had close/intimate or sexual contact with a person who has the virus with gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men being most affected," TPH said.

None of the current cases in the city were fully vaccinated, TPH said.

Eligible people who have not been vaccinated are encouraged to get their first vaccine dose as soon as possible, with the second dose prescribed 28 days later, the news release said.

The vaccine is free of charge and does not require an OHIP card, TPH said. People are advised to ask about vaccine availability when accessing sexual health care.

Full vaccine eligibility requirements can be found on the City of Toronto website.

Mpox symptoms can start five to 21 days after exposure, and include fever, headache, muscle aches, exhaustion and swollen lymph nodes, the news release said.

"These symptoms are followed by a rash or blisters and lesions on the skin that can be painful including around the genitals," TPH said.

The uptick in mpox cases is not a public health emergency, said Rita Shahin, associate medical officer of health with Toronto Public Health.

"We're not looking at a public health emergency," she said. "We're really seeing a small increase in cases."

Confirmed cases this year are nowhere nearnumbers from 2022, Shahin said, when the city saw over 500 cases of mpox.

"I don't think we're going to be seeing the same kind of explosive case numbers that we saw in 2022, because many of the individuals have had at least one dose," Shahin said.

However, she said people are advised to get their second dose as well.

Shahin said the virus is circulating locally in the city, with only two travel related cases confirmed this year.

"We would like to remind people who are eligible of the importance of getting vaccinated," she said.

The risk of getting mpox is not the same for everybody in Toronto, as the majority of cases are among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, said Dr. Isaac Bogoch, infectious disease specialist at Toronto General Hospital.

"The men who have sex with men community has been heroic in their efforts to educate the local community and to help guide the public health response," Bogoch said.

He described this time period as "an era of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases," citing the recent rise in measles cases, as well as COVID-19 and both the Zika and Ebola epidemics.

"Many of these [diseases]are preventable," he said. "We can take steps to prevent infection or mitigate severity of infection."

Rochelle Raveendran is a reporter for CBC News Toronto. She can be reached at: rochelle.raveendran@cbc.ca.

More:

Toronto Public Health urges people to get vaccinated against mpox amidst rising cases - CBC.ca