The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has reported the country’s first case of a more severe strain of mpox in Manitoba. The case involves clade 1 mpox, a strain linked to ongoing outbreaks in central and eastern Africa.
The individual, whose infection is travel-related, sought medical care for symptoms shortly after returning to Canada. They are currently isolating, and authorities are conducting contact tracing to prevent further spread.
While clade 2 mpox has circulated in Canada since 2022, this marks the first appearance of clade 1, which research suggests is more transmissible and can cause more severe symptoms.
Mpox, a viral infection, typically presents with a painful rash and may include fever, chills, headaches, and muscle pain. Despite this development, PHAC maintains that the overall risk to the Canadian public remains low.
Health officials are closely monitoring the situation as they continue efforts to contain the spread of the virus.