A case of monkeypox has been confirmed in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, the first recorded case in the province, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control.
The BCCDC says the individual with the confirmed case lives in Vancouver and Vancouver Coastal Health is conducting public health follow-up.
“As of last Thursday, there are 56 cases in Canada 54 of them in the province of Quebec,” said Health Minister Adrian Dix. “Suffice to say the risks of the overall public is low, but we want to make sure that everyone is aware and knows about this issue and is aware of all the steps being taken to support this individual, this individual’s close contacts, and the community.”
A case of monkeypox has been confirmed in B.C. through laboratory testing at the BC Centre for Disease Control and awaiting confirmation at the National Microbiology Laboratory. Vancouver Coastal Health is conducting public health follow-up.
🔗https://t.co/Ww6lR16y3H— BC Centre for Disease Control (@CDCofBC) June 6, 2022
Since May 2022, there have been more than 700 confirmed cases in non-endemic countries, according to the BCCDC.
“Monkeypox is spread from person to person through contact with sores and items like bedding or towels that have monkeypox virus on them,” the BCCDC says in a statement on its website. “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.”
Monkeypox symptoms can develop between five to 21 days after exposure.
“If you develop symptoms, visit a health care professional,” the statement says. “Wear a mask and cover the lesions, and inform the clinic ahead of time of the reason for your visit. Limit close contact, including sexual contact with others.”
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