Mpox in Canada: New strain not here yet [Video]

Health Canada says it is “closely monitoring” the resurgence of mpox cases, after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern on Wednesday.

While cases of the new strain spreading mainly in Africa have yet to be confirmed in Canada, epidemiologists are calling on the federal government to do more to help prevent the international outbreak from worsening.

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Here’s what you need to know about Canada’s response to the current outbreak.

No ‘clade I’ cases confirmed in Canada

As of Aug. 15, Health Canada says there have been no cases of the more severe “clade I” variant of the mpox – previously known as monkeypox – detected in Canada.

“We’ve been doing wastewater monitoring… and so far, we have not detected clade I in Canada to date, but that could change,” said Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam.

Federal officials …