Alberta’s chief physician said the province had confirmed its first case of monkeypox.
Dr Dina Hinshaw made the announcement on Twitter on Thursday afternoon, saying it was an “isolated case” and that the person had “close contact” with a “known case” outside Alberta.
They are now isolating themselves and working with Alberta Health to allow contact tracking, Hinshaw added.
“Monkeypox is a rare disease that can cause fever, pain and rashes,” Hinshaw said. “Although monkeypox is uncommon and generally considered a low risk to society as a whole, an isolated case has already been confirmed in Alberta.
Hinshaw said transmission can occur in contact with body fluids, wounds or personal belongings recently contaminated with body fluids or wounds.
“Monkeypox does not spread easily among humans,” she added. “Although it is also possible to get respiratory droplets after spending a long time near an infected person, those at greatest risk are those who have had prolonged close contact with the case.”
Quebec’s health ministry confirmed 52 cases of the virus on Wednesday, while Toronto confirmed its second infection.
There are more than 550 confirmed cases worldwide in 30 countries, including Spain, Portugal, Thailand, Mexico and Israel.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smallpox was first discovered in 1958, when it was first identified in colonies of captive research monkeys. The first human case was reported in 1970.
Initial symptoms of the rare disease include fever, muscle aches, chills, exhaustion, headache and swollen lymph nodes.
Within three days of the first onset of symptoms, patients may develop a rash on the body that turns into pustules or scabs that may go away as the virus progresses. The disease usually lasts two to four weeks, according to the CDC.
Concerned about privacy, Hinshaw said no further information would be released to identify the monkeypox case.
“While the risk of infection is currently low for the general population, smallpox can affect anyone in prolonged close contact with an infected person,” Hinshaw added.
“We continue to investigate the spread of monkeypox with our federal and provincial partners and will regularly assess the situation as it develops.
CTV News Edmonton contacted Alberta Health for further comment.
With files from CTV News Montreal and CTVNews.ca
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