Toronto Public Health confirms Ontario’s first cases of another mpox variant
Written by The Canadian Press on March 10, 2026
TORONTO — Public health officials in Toronto say two travel-related cases of another type of mpox have been confirmed for the first time in the city and the province.
Toronto Public Health says the variant known as clade Ib has been associated with mpox outbreaks in parts of Central and Eastern Africa and was found in a small number of travel-related cases in Europe and elsewhere.
It says that since 2022, mpox cases in Toronto have only involved the IIb strain of the virus.
Public health says both mpox variants can cause painful skin lesions, fever and other flu-like symptoms.
It is encouraging eligible Toronto residents to get the mpox vaccine, which is free and available without a health card.
Public health says 155 mpox cases were confirmed in Toronto in 2025, with a higher concentration of cases among residents in the downtown core.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 10, 2026.
The Canadian Press