Canada health agency says spread of monkeypox across countries is ‘unusual’

Canada's chief public health officer has said that the spread of monkeypox around the world is "unusual" but the risk to Canadians is "low."

"It’s unusual for the world to see [this] many cases reported in different countries outside of Africa," Dr Theresa Tam said.

As of 19 May Canada has confirmed two cases of monkeypox.

Monkeypox is a virus which is transmitted to humans from animals from "direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or cutaneous or mucosal lesions of infected animal" according to the World Health Organisation.

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