OTTAWA, Sept. 21 -- Canada has confirmed 1,379 cases of monkeypox, including 38 hospitalisations, the Public Health Agency of Canada said on Wednesday.

Of the confirmed cases, 667 are from Ontario, 515 from Quebec, 150 from British Columbia, 39 from Alberta, three from Saskatchewan, two from the Yukon and one each from Nova Scotia, Manitoba and New Brunswick, said the health agency.

The provinces are waiting for the National Advisory Committee on Immunization to provide guidance on if and how to start a second-dose strategy which is expected in the coming weeks.

Monkeypox is a viral disease that can spread from person to person through close contact with an infected person, including through hugs, kisses, massages or sexual intercourse, according to experts.

  - Xinhua