Toronto confirms first mpox clade Ib cases in the city and Ontario, urges vaccination for eligible residents
Latest news on WhatsApp أجدد الأخبار على واتسابToronto has confirmed its first two travel-related mpox clade Ib cases, in what Toronto Public Health says are also the first identified cases of this variant in Ontario. The announcement, made on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, gives the story immediate public-health and service value because the city paired it with a direct call for eligible residents to get vaccinated.
Toronto Public Health said mpox activity in the city since 2022 had involved only the IIb strain. Clade Ib, by contrast, has been linked to outbreaks in parts of Central and Eastern Africa and has also appeared in a small number of travel-related cases internationally, including in several European countries. The city said both clade Ib and IIb can cause painful skin lesions, fever and other flu-like symptoms, and that prevention and treatment are the same for both.
The city’s main message was practical and preventive. Imvamune remains available through Toronto Public Health clinics and community partners for eligible residents, free of charge and without requiring an OHIP card. Toronto says two doses offer the best protection against both strains, that people who have had only one dose are only partially protected and should complete the second, and that people who have already received two doses do not currently need more.
The update carries added weight because Toronto recorded 155 confirmed mpox cases in 2025, with a higher concentration in the downtown core. That makes the city’s vaccination push and symptom awareness message part of a broader effort to reduce the risk of further spread as early as possible.
