Island Health reports its first case monkeypoxBringing the total number of cases in British Columbia to 21.
resides in the southern part of the patient vancouver island And contract tracing is already underway, the health authority said in a Friday statement. Vaccines will be provided to those identified as high-risk contacts.
The case, first reported on Thursday, was confirmed through laboratory testing at the B.C. Centers for Disease Control. According to Island Health, the risk to public health remains low.
All other cases of monkeypox in BC are in the Vancouver Coastal Health Area.
Monkeypox is spread through contact with sores and objects such as bedding or towels that carry the virus. It can also be spread through respiratory droplets delivered by cough or sneeze.
It can be transmitted through close contact during sexual activity.
According to the World Health Organization, symptoms mainly consist of skin lesions on the mouth and genitals, and may also include fever, headache, and joint and muscle pain. They usually appear one to two weeks after exposure, but can take anywhere between five and 21 days.
People are considered to have an infection when symptoms first appear to the point where the sores slough off, and dry new skin appears, reads the island health news release.
Most patients have mild symptoms and do not require medical intervention.
As of June 22, according to the BC CDC, monkeypox infections have been found in more than 50 countries and territories, mainly in Europe. The WHO is monitoring the virus, and did not declare a global health emergency after a meeting on 23 June.
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