B.C. has had its first lab-confirmed case of monkey pox, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control said on Monday.
The BCCDC confirmed the case, and is awaiting confirmation by the National Microbiology Laboratory, a statement issued by the BCCDC on Monday said.
“More than 700 cases of monkeypox infection have been found in non-endemic countries since May 2022, with the majority identified in Europe. Infections caused by a West African clade have also been diagnosed in Canada and the United States,” the CDC statement said. “This clade tends to cause mild disease. While most, but not all, recent global infections are among young men who identify as men who have sex with other men, the virus can affect anyone through close person-to-person contact.”
Monkey pox is spread from person to person through contact with sores and items like bedding or towels that have the virus on them, the BCCDC said.
“It can also spread through respiratory droplets such as coughs and sneezes during prolonged close, face-to-face contact with a person who has monkeypox,” the statement said. “While the virus is not known to transmit through semen, vaginal or rectal fluids, it does spread through close contact during sexual activity. There is a vaccine available in Canada that provides protection against the monkeypox virus. It can be used to manage spread of monkeypox and prevent serious illness in people who have been exposed. The risk of monkeypox to the general public is very low. There is no need for the general public to get vaccinated.”
People who have been exposed should monitor for symptoms including: fever, chills, intense headache, swollen lymph nodes, back pain, muscle pain, fatigue or exhaustion. Less common symptoms include sore throat, cough, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Monkey pox symptoms can present anywhere from five to 21 days after exposure and symptoms can last two to four weeks, the BCCDC says.
In a press conference on Monday, Health Minister Adrian Dix said the most recent information he had showed 56 cases of monkey pox had been confirmed in Canada, now including one case in Vancouver.
"The risk to the overall public is low," Dix said.
If you develop symptoms, contact your health care provider. For more information, go online to www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/monkeypox.
