20 Sep 2022 | 07:32 AM UTC
North America: Monkeypox cases continue to be reported in Canada, Mexico, and the US as of September /update 7
Additional monkeypox cases reported in North America, including Canada, Mexico, and the US, as of September. Maintain health precautions.
Event
Public health officials continue to report cases of monkeypox across North America with 23,880 confirmed in certain areas of Canada, Mexico, and the US during July. As of Sept. 19, Canada has reported 1,327 confirmed cases and four suspected cases, Mexico 788 confirmed cases, and the US 21,761 confirmed cases. Ongoing disease transmission within Canada and the US has been confirmed. Ontario is the most affected state in Canada followed by Quebec. At least 15 states in the US have confirmed cases, with California and New York reporting the highest number of cases. Mexico has identified cases in 29 states including Mexico City. This represents the most updated information available as of Sept. 19.
Additional cases and new locations within these countries will likely be identified in the coming weeks as disease surveillance, and contact tracing continues.
Context
Many of the cases in this widespread outbreak report attending one or more recent mass gatherings in Antwerp, Belgium, as well as Madrid and Gran Canaria in Spain, or reported recent close contact with an attendee; mass gatherings always present an elevated infectious disease risk. Human-to-human transmission occurs among people in close physical contact; the current outbreak highlights the importance of vigilant safe sexual practices and suggests monkeypox can be transmitted while the infected person displays few or no symptoms.
Monkeypox does not naturally occur in North America; most cases are reported in West and Central Africa, primarily in the DRC, Nigeria, and Cameroon, among individuals who report contact with wild primates or other mammals that may harbor the disease.
Monkeypox is caused by a virus that belongs to the same family as the virus that causes smallpox. However, monkeypox is not the same as smallpox, and it does not have the same capacity for rapid human-to-human transmission. Monkeypox is mainly transmitted to humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected rodents or primates. Human-to-human transmission primarily occurs through close personal contact with an infected individual via respiratory droplets, direct contact with bodily fluids, or indirect contact with lesion material (e.g., contaminated clothing or bedding). Symptoms typically appear 6-16 days after exposure but can develop up to 21 days after exposure. Symptoms generally include fever, headache, muscle aches and backaches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and a distinctive rash characterized by lesions that progress through several stages before falling off.
Advice
Practice basic health precautions, including frequent handwashing with soap and water, covering the nose and mouth when coughing, and avoiding obviously ill individuals. Avoid overcrowded areas, such as nightclubs, and consider exercising safe sexual practices, such as physical barriers (condoms) in countries reporting monkeypox transmission. Seek medical attention if symptoms develop within two weeks of being in affected areas, especially if you have had one or more new sexual partners. Vaccines are available but limited.
