In an effort to contain transmission, vaccinations are being administered to close contacts of monkeypox cases, Alberta's chief medical officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw announced Monday..So far, there have been eight cases of monkeypox in Alberta..Hinshaw made a Twitter thread to announce contact-tracing is being done for the three most recent cases of the virus.."We are continuing to investigate the spread of monkeypox with our federal and provincial partners and will regularly assess the situation as it evolves, including an assessment of vaccine eligibility," said Hinshaw.."Smallpox vaccine is available in Alberta for close contacts, and we are offering one dose, as is the case in other jurisdictions.".A smallpox vaccine called Imvamune has been used on eight close contacts in Alberta..This vaccine should ideally be given within four days of contact to prevent the disease, but can also be given within a two-week window to reduce symptoms, reported CBC..Craig Jenne, an associate professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Calgary, believes a public awareness campaign should be made about monkeypox to educate the general public..Public risk is low but expects to see the virus continue circulating in the future, according to Jenne.."Even though we're aware of it, we know it's out there, we've encouraged people to take precautions, there is still a low level of transmission and this may unfortunately continue for a little while whether that be transmission here in Canada or … people acquiring it on travels and presenting with the virus once they return to Canada," he said..There have been 300 cases of monkeypox found in Canada, mostly on the eastern side with 211 in Quebec and 77 in Ontario, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada..Most cases around the world have been found among men who have reported sexual contact with other men, but the virus can spread to anyone from an infected person or contaminated objects, according to the WHO.
