Vancouver’s health authority says cases of mpox virus on the rise

Mpox particles, red, found within an infected cell, blue, cultured in a laboratory in Fort Detrick, Md., are shown in a colorized electron microscope handout image. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-HO, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Vancouver Coastal Health says there’s been a recent spike in mpox, the viral infection also known as monkeypox.

A statement from the health authority says the increase is cases is predominantly among gay and bisexual men who haven’t had two doses of the vaccine that prevents the infection.

It says the disease is prevalent in parts of Africa, and since 2022, one of the African strains has spread to more than 70 countries, transmitting from person to person.

Data from the BC Centre for Disease Control show 96 cases last year and 19 so far this year, most of which the health authority says have been in its jurisdiction.

The statement says that of the people in B.C. who have had their first shot of the vaccine since 2022, only 47 per cent have received the follow up dose.

It says mpox is usually a mild illness and most people recover on their own after a few weeks, but unvaccinated people can experience moderate or severe disease.

While symptoms of infection usually appear within a week or two following exposure, the health authority says it can take up to three weeks and symptoms can last two to four weeks.

It says the infection may start with flu-like symptoms before a rash appears with lesions showing up on the hands, feet, mouth or genitals, and the rash can spread to other parts of the body.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 8, 2025.