Quebec health officials say there are 248 confirmed monkeypox cases in the province

In this photo provided by the Unidad de Microscopi­a Electronica del ISCIII in Madrid, on Thursday May 26, 2022, an electronic microscope image shows the monkeypox virus seen by a team from the Arbovirus Laboratory and the Genomics and Bioinformatics Units of the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) in Madrid. Quebec health officials are reporting a dozen new cases of monkeypox for a total of 248 since the outbreak began in the province. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-HO, Unidad de Microscopi­a Electronica del ISCIII

MONTREAL — Quebec health officials are reporting a dozen new cases of monkeypox for a total of 248 since the outbreak began in the province.

Earlier this week, authorities had reported 236 declared cases in the province.

Quebec’s Health Department says 9,437 doses of vaccine have been administered since May 27 to curb the biggest outbreak of the disease in Canada.

Public health officials say most cases are among men who report intimate contact with men but say anyone can get monkeypox.

Smallpox vaccines have proven effective in combating the monkeypox virus.

The rare disease comes from the same family of viruses that cause smallpox, which the World Health Organization declared eradicated around the globe in 1980.

Monkeypox generally does not spread easily between people and is transmitted through prolonged close contact via respiratory droplets, direct contact with skin lesions or bodily fluids, or through contaminated clothes or bedding.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2022.

The Canadian Press