Photo credit: Toronto Today
The first two cases of a variant of mpox – formerly known as monkeypox – have been identified in Toronto and Ontario, according to Toronto Public Health (TPH).
Toronto Today reports that the two new travel-related mpox cases are from the clade lb variant, compared to the llb strain, which was previously the only strain involved in mpox activity in the city since 2022, the municipal health agency said in a news release on Tuesday.
Clade Ib has been associated with outbreaks in Central and East Africa, the health unit said.
In 2025, there were 155 mpox cases in Toronto, with a higher concentration among downtown core residents, according to TPH.
Both strains of the viral illness can cause painful skin lesions, fever and other flu-like symptoms, the release said, with treatment being the same for both.
Mpox has mostly spread through “close, intimate or sexual contact with a person who has the virus, with gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men mostly affected,” the health unit said.
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TPH said while public risk remains low, getting vaccinated is the best way to help prevent further mpox transmission.
A list of groups eligible for pre-exposure vaccination can be found on the TPH website, and include individuals who self-identify as belonging to the gay, bisexual, pansexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM|) community who also meet additional criteria, sex workers or those who are a sexual contact of an individual who engages in sex work, and individuals who engage in sex tourism.
The health unit recommends two doses for best protection against both strains, with the second vaccine being taken 28 days after the first.
The virus spreads through person-to-person contact with infected lesions, skin blisters, body fluids or respiratory secretions. It can also spread through contaminated materials such as clothing or bedding, as well as bites or scratches from infected animals, according to TPH.
