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A case of monkeypox suspected in a minor
Isabelle Pare
11:15 a.m.
Health
A case of monkeypox has been detected in a child who allegedly had contact at a school in the Montreal area. The number of confirmed cases in Montreal is now 15, for a total of 25 in the province. The acting national director of public health, Dr. Luc Boileau, said Thursday to act "rigorously and quickly" to contain the virus and said he did not fear community transmission.
“We are investigating a child who is said to be positive and who has had contact with other friends in his school, so action must be taken on this side. But this is a single situation, we are not in an expansion, ”he said Thursday, noting an “evolution” of the situation.
Despite this pediatric case and the presence of 24 other confirmed cases in adults, Dr. Boileau believes that “we are not in a major population alert as we have known for two years with COVID. We are not at all in this scenario, and we are not going to get there. »
The child suspected of having monkeypox has reportedly been isolated and these potential contacts are being traced. The Direction régionale de la santé publique de Montréal (DRSPM) refuses for the moment to identify the school where this first pediatric case was identified, as well as the places in downtown Montreal associated with the cases detected in men with had prolonged close contact with other men or sexual relations.
For confidentiality issues and to avoid "stigma", the regional public health directorate has chosen not to disclose the names of the establishments associated with some of the confirmed cases, explained Thursday the Dr. Geneviève Bergeron, medical officer for infectious diseases. at the DRSPM. The latter collaborate with public health to reach the people concerned.
Smallpox vaccines were received on May 24 from the federal government in an effort to offer them to people identified by public health who could benefit. If given within the first four days, the vaccine can prevent the development of symptoms. After 5 to 14 days, it can still reduce their severity, explained Thursday Dr. Caroline Quach, pediatrician and microbiologist-infectiologist at CHU Sainte-Justine.
“This virus is transmitted by direct contact. […] It is not because you have been in the presence of a person that you are going to be infected. We are not at the same level of risk as COVID, ”she insisted.
The smallpox vaccine, used against monkeypox, is not licensed for use in children at this time. But if necessary, says Dr. Quach, member of the Quebec Immunization Committee (CIQ), it would be possible to use it in Quebec "outside approval". The federal National Immunization Committee (NACI) should issue recommendations on this subject in the coming days and Quebec intends to comply with them.
As for the cases traced in adults, the DRSPM affirms that links have been made between several of them, and have been associated with the frequentation of certain Montreal establishments, but also with recent trips. Spain, where around 30 cases have been detected to date, has identified several mass events, including the Gay Pride held recently in the Canary Islands, as the possible source of several cases.
"It's very unusual to see so many cases in several countries," said Dr. Bergeron. It is very important for us to understand the links between these cases and to know how these cases emerged. »
A case of monkeypox suspected in a minor
Isabelle Pare
11:15 a.m.
Health
A case of monkeypox has been detected in a child who allegedly had contact at a school in the Montreal area. The number of confirmed cases in Montreal is now 15, for a total of 25 in the province. The acting national director of public health, Dr. Luc Boileau, said Thursday to act "rigorously and quickly" to contain the virus and said he did not fear community transmission.
“We are investigating a child who is said to be positive and who has had contact with other friends in his school, so action must be taken on this side. But this is a single situation, we are not in an expansion, ”he said Thursday, noting an “evolution” of the situation.
Despite this pediatric case and the presence of 24 other confirmed cases in adults, Dr. Boileau believes that “we are not in a major population alert as we have known for two years with COVID. We are not at all in this scenario, and we are not going to get there. »
The child suspected of having monkeypox has reportedly been isolated and these potential contacts are being traced. The Direction régionale de la santé publique de Montréal (DRSPM) refuses for the moment to identify the school where this first pediatric case was identified, as well as the places in downtown Montreal associated with the cases detected in men with had prolonged close contact with other men or sexual relations.
For confidentiality issues and to avoid "stigma", the regional public health directorate has chosen not to disclose the names of the establishments associated with some of the confirmed cases, explained Thursday the Dr. Geneviève Bergeron, medical officer for infectious diseases. at the DRSPM. The latter collaborate with public health to reach the people concerned.
Smallpox vaccines were received on May 24 from the federal government in an effort to offer them to people identified by public health who could benefit. If given within the first four days, the vaccine can prevent the development of symptoms. After 5 to 14 days, it can still reduce their severity, explained Thursday Dr. Caroline Quach, pediatrician and microbiologist-infectiologist at CHU Sainte-Justine.
“This virus is transmitted by direct contact. […] It is not because you have been in the presence of a person that you are going to be infected. We are not at the same level of risk as COVID, ”she insisted.
The smallpox vaccine, used against monkeypox, is not licensed for use in children at this time. But if necessary, says Dr. Quach, member of the Quebec Immunization Committee (CIQ), it would be possible to use it in Quebec "outside approval". The federal National Immunization Committee (NACI) should issue recommendations on this subject in the coming days and Quebec intends to comply with them.
As for the cases traced in adults, the DRSPM affirms that links have been made between several of them, and have been associated with the frequentation of certain Montreal establishments, but also with recent trips. Spain, where around 30 cases have been detected to date, has identified several mass events, including the Gay Pride held recently in the Canary Islands, as the possible source of several cases.
"It's very unusual to see so many cases in several countries," said Dr. Bergeron. It is very important for us to understand the links between these cases and to know how these cases emerged. »
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