“In Canada, as of July 22nd, 2022, a total of 681 confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported nationally, from: Quebec (331); Ontario (288); British Columbia (48); Alberta (12); and Saskatchewan (2),” Tam said via Twitter.

Tam said the monkeypox virus can spread to anyone during close contact with an infected person’s skin sores or via direct contact with their personal or shared items, including towels, bed linens and other objects.

The safety guidelines published by Canada's health authority suggest citizens should clean surfaces after receiving visitors, wear masks and avoiding contact with potentially ill friends or relatives. The guidelines strongly advise symptomatic or infected people to stay at home.

Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease transmitted from animals to humans and is endemic in some African countries. The pathogen comes from the same family of viruses that causes smallpox, which was eradicated in 1980. The first outbreak of monkeypox in non-endemic countries was reported in May.