The London region’s medical officer of health is reassuring residents that monkeypox is “a different thing than COVID-19” and the risk of contracting it here is “very low.”
During a media briefing on Monday, Dr. Alex Summers said to date there have been no cases of monkeypox in London and Middlesex County.
“The news has been full of information on the monkeypox virus. The risk of monkeypox in the Middlesex-London region remains very low,” said Summers. “The transmission tendencies of monkeypox are very different at this time than what we’ve seen with COVID-19, and so the response in the community and the response even for us as a health unit is also different.”
One case of the virus was confirmed in Ontario on May 26 and another 25 cases have popped up in Quebec, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Monkeypox is predominantly transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact or through contact with either the lesions caused by the virus or the bodily fluid that can seep from the ruptured bumps.
“If somebody does develop a rash consistent with monkeypox, health care providers in our regions are on the lookout and they will be reporting to the province, in addition to us, and appropriate testing will occur,” Summers said.
Meanwhile, the spread of COVID-19 continues to trend down across the region. The Middlesex London Health Unit recorded 29 new cases Monday and 61 new cases over the weekend. There has not been a death related to the virus since last Wednesday. COVID-19 hospitalizations in London have ranged from the low 30s to low 40s all month.
“We are likely getting close to what might be our baseline of COVID-19 activity,” said Summers. “It’s critical for all to remember that even as we see COVID cases settle and remain low, the risk of COVID-19 remains in our community, which is why taking those opportunities to get vaccinated, if eligible, and boosted when that time comes is so important.”
The health unit’s mass vaccination clinics at the Western Fair Agriplex and Caradoc Community Centre in Mt. Brydges, as well as the pop-up vaccination clinic at White Oaks Mall, continue to operate each week.
Currently, anyone five and older can receive a first, second, and third dose. Only those 60 and older are eligible to get their fourth or second booster shot. That is something Summers doesn’t see changing until at least late summer or early fall.
“The reason for that is because the risk of poor outcome for those under the age of 60 is substantially low if you’ve had all three vaccines that you’ve been eligible for to date,” said Summers. “The relative benefit of the fourth dose at this time for those under the age of 60 given the dropping rates of COVID-19 in our community is not going to be as impactful as it would be if given closer to the fall when we are heading into another respiratory virus season.”
