Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox a “public health emergency of international concern”
With the trauma of lockdowns and fear of deadly virus infections still fresh in our minds from COVID, it’s no wonder Albertans rushed to their computers and phones to try to learn more about what some fear as the next nasty pandemic to mess with our lives.
We’ve dug into the most current information to answer the question, “Should we be worried?”
What is Mpox?
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral infection that causes flu-like symptoms and skin blisters.
Due to recent outbreaks, especially in Africa, it has been gaining global attention.
World health officials no longer use the term “monkeypox,” as it was previously known because it is inaccurate (scientists now believe the virus originates in rodents.)
Mpox is a virus that belongs to the same family as smallpox, although it is less severe.
The disease is usually spread between humans through direct contact with infected skin lesions, bodily fluids, or contaminated materials like bedding. Fortunately, this makes the virus far less contagious than COVID, although prolonged exposure to respiratory droplets from an infected person can cause transmission of the disease.
Historically, outbreaks of Mpox have been spread through prolonged physical contact among closely associated sexual networks. More than 90 percent of cases in non-endemic countries have been transmitted through intimate sexual contact.
While most people who contract Mpox experience mild symptoms and recover on their own, the illness can last for a few weeks.
An Evolving Virus
Just as we’ve learned with COVID, viruses evolve, often becoming more transmissible and sometimes more deadly.
The WHO is now worried about Mpox because a more virulent and deadly strain of Mpox, referred to as Clade I, is spreading. The spread of the virus now includes children, which means that the virus requires less prolonged physical contact to take hold.
Worse, the new strain appears to be more deadly, with three to five percent mortality rates, which was higher than we saw from COVID.
The Clade I strain has now been confirmed in Sweden, far removed from the Congo region of Africa, where it has been endemic for decades.
While some might consider calling Mpox a ‘public health emergency’ premature, the WHO has learned lessons from COVID and has issued the declaration so that the international community is aware of the issue to help prevent the spread of the virus so that it does not become a pandemic.
The world community can also prioritize getting Mpox vaccines, which are already developed, to those areas of the world hardest hit by outbreaks, like the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Should Albertans Worry?
The number of cases of Mpox in Alberta remains low, with only 7 cases reported so far this year.
The province has seen a decrease in cases compared to the 2022 outbreak of Mpox, when 44 cases were reported.
While other regions, such as Toronto, have experienced a recent spike in cases, the overall number of Mpox cases in Canada is still significantly lower than during the peak of the 2022 outbreak, which involved the less virulent Clade II strain of Mpox.
The majority of infections of Mpox in Canada occur among those in an active sexual network of multiple partners, so unless you are in a high-risk group, which includes gay men, bisexually active persons or sex workers, you have little to worry about.
The severity of Mpox cases in Canada remains low, with rare hospitalizations and no deaths reported to date. But if the Clade I strain reaches Canada, the severity of illness may well change.
For anyone in high-risk groups, vaccination is a key preventive measure against Mpox.
In Alberta, the Imvamune vaccine is readily available and can provide protection against the virus.
Eligible Albertans aged 18 and older can receive the Mpox vaccine free of charge.
If you believe you are at risk or have been exposed to Mpox, contact Alberta HealthLink at 811 to discuss eligibility and schedule a vaccination appointment.
Mpox is a manageable virus with a low risk of severe illness for most people.
Unlike COVID, vaccines already exist, and the virus is far less transmissible, so the likelihood of a worldwide pandemic is low.
But as the old saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
