Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam and other federal officials provide an update on the COVID-19 pandemic in a press conference.

In the latest pandemic briefing from the federal government on May 7, Tam announced that agencies are trying to deal with the number of Canadians who may suffer from long COVID as researchers learn more about the mysterious effects of the virus.

Relatively little is known about the effects of long COVID, also known as post-COVID-19 condition, including how it is diagnosed, how long it lasts, or the best way to treat it. The Public Health Agency of Canada says there have been reports of more than 100 potential symptoms associated with this condition.

Apart from COVID-19, Tam is expected to face questions about recent confirmed cases of monkeypox in the country.

An increasing number of countries, including Canada, the United States, Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, have reported an unusual outbreak of monkeypox, what makes these cases notable is that the disease is relatively rare and there are no clear links between some infections, raising concerns about its spread in the community.

The Quebec Health Department announced on Thursday evening the presence of two confirmed cases of monkeypox in the province, while 20 other suspected cases are still under investigation.