The Ministry of Health in Quebec said the province has recorded 15 confirmed cases of monkeypox as of Monday, with more cases expected from other parts of the country.

Nearly 20 countries where monkeypox is not endemic have recently reported outbreaks of the viral disease, with more than 230 confirmed or suspected cases, most of them in Europe.

Canadian federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said more samples from other parts of the country have been sent to a laboratory in Winnipeg for testing.

He added in a statement, "We expect more cases to be confirmed in the coming days."

It is not yet clear what symptoms the infected individuals have exhibited or how severe their conditions are.

Monkeypox is a rare viral infection similar to human smallpox, although milder, first recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 1970s. The number of cases in West Africa has increased over the past decade.

Canada confirmed its first two monkeypox cases last week after Quebec authorities said they were investigating 17 suspected cases.