The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) confirmed Friday the country's first case of clade I mpox.
The case, linked to travel, involves an individual associated with an ongoing outbreak of clade I mpox in central and eastern Africa. The individual sought medical care for mpox symptoms in Canada shortly after returning and is currently isolating, PHAC said in a statement.
A public health investigation, including contact tracing, is underway, according to PHAC.
The National Microbiology Laboratory reported that the sample tested positive for mpox clade Ib. While clade II mpox has been present in Canada since 2022, this marks the first confirmed case of clade I mpox in the country.
PHAC emphasized that the risk to the general population remains low at this time.