Ontario has reported an increase in cases of monkeypox, which serves as a reminder that the infectious disease is still present, despite having declined from its peak two years ago.

In Ontario, 67 cases were reported between January 1 and June 15, according to the latest public health data from Ontario (PHO). In 2024, 33 confirmed cases were reported throughout the year, according to data from the World Health Organization.

Monkeypox, which was previously referred to as monkeypox until the World Health Organization changed its name after outbreaks in Europe, Canada, and the United States, is a viral infectious disease. A total of 1,541 cases were reported in Canada at its peak in June 2022.

It often presents as a rash or lesion, and can cause fever, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes.

Among the recent cases reported in Ontario, over 95 percent were among men, and the cases disproportionately affect gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, according to reports from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch said on Monday, "I always start by saying no stigma, no judgment of value, no morality. However, the vast majority of these cases are in the community of men who have sex with men, and I think that framework, as you know, if you’re not in that community, you are unlikely to get this infection."

The World Health Organization states that monkeypox is primarily spread through sexual or intimate contact. Public health investigations indicate that most cases in Canada were acquired locally, not while traveling. Just over 79% of the cases were reported in Toronto, with the remaining infections recorded in eight other public health units in Ontario, including 7.5% in Ottawa.

By putting the data in context, Bogoch notes that the reporting period only reaches the middle of Pride Month, and that many other exposure cases could have occurred during the remaining part of June. He added, "So, we may see more cases in July and August, given the incubation period."

According to data from the World Health Organization, vaccinations for the second dose of Imvamune have lagged, with only 35% of those who received the first dose also getting a second dose.

Bogoch said, "For people in at-risk groups, it’s just important for them to be aware that this virus is still out there. 'It hasn’t gone away.'

Eligibility for the vaccine in Ontario is limited to individuals who are two-spirit, non-binary, transgender, gender-nonconforming, intersex, or sexually gay individuals who identify themselves or have sexual partners who identify as belonging to the gay, bisexual, transgender, and other men who have sex with men communities.

Individuals within these communities also need to have a confirmed sexually transmitted infection within the past year, or have or plan to have two or more sexual partners, or have attended places for sexual contact, or have had anonymous sex.

Receiving two doses of the vaccine is believed to reduce the risk of contracting monkeypox by 66 to 83 percent, according to the Toronto Public Health.