The Toronto Public Health (TPH) confirmed a second positive case of monkeypox in the city on Tuesday, less than a week after reporting the first case.

So far, there are two positive cases, nine negative cases, and six cases still under investigation.

TPH confirmed the first monkeypox case last Thursday and said the individual is recovering in the hospital. Health officials did not provide further details about the second case.

TPH said six individuals are currently recovering at home after laboratory tests confirmed they were infected with the virus.

A suspected case is defined as a person showing signs and symptoms of the virus, including rash, and having contact with a confirmed or suspected case, or having traveled to an area where a confirmed case was detected or exposed to an infected animal.

Monkeypox is a rare disease that comes from the same family of viruses that causes smallpox, which the World Health Organization declared eradicated worldwide in 1980.

This disease is usually milder than smallpox and can cause fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes throughout the body.

Monkeypox usually spreads through direct person-to-person contact via respiratory droplets, direct contact with bodily fluids, or indirect contact through contaminated clothing or bedding.

Toronto Public Health stated that the virus does not spread easily between people and does not transmit like COVID-19. It spreads slowly and appears to require prolonged contact or skin-to-skin contact.

Dr. Rita Shahin said, "It is not a disease that spreads easily like COVID, and usually requires prolonged face-to-face contact. Additionally, it is important to cover and isolate affected areas of the body for virus carriers." She added, "If you have close contact with someone infected with the virus, you may be at risk."

Health officials said the risk monkeypox poses to the general public is low.

Earlier this week, Dr. Rosamund Lewis, senior monkeypox expert at the World Health Organization, said she does not expect a pandemic spread, but warned that anyone is at risk of contracting the disease.

Dr. Lewis said there is still much unknown about the virus, including how it spreads and the impact of vaccination in limiting its spread.

So far, the World Health Organization said the virus has been reported by 23 countries, which are not considered endemic regions for this virus.

Editing: Dima Abu Khair