Alberta has identified a case of monkeypox in the province.
In a social media post Thursday afternoon, Chief Medical Officer Dr Dina Hinshaw said an isolated case of the disease had been confirmed in an adult in Alberta.
Monkeypox is a rare disease that can cause fever, pain and rashes, according to Hinshaw, who added that monkeypox is uncommon and is generally considered a low risk to society as a whole.
Read more: Outbreaks of diseases such as monkeypox are becoming more common, warns WHO
Hinshaw said no identification information would be released to protect patient privacy. It is not known how the person contracted the virus or where he lives in Alberta, but Hinshaw said the person “had close contact with a certain case outside the province.”
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Hinshaw said the person is isolating herself and her team is working with them to investigate and track contacts.
“Currently, the risk of further transmission is low,” Hinshaw said.
Read more: Toronto Public Health reports 3 more confirmed cases of monkeypox
Smallpox is common in countries in West and Central Africa with tropical rainforests, but the disease has recently been found in more than 20 countries, including Britain, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, the United States, Israel and Australia. More than 500 cases have been reported. There are no reports of deaths.
This is the first confirmed case of the disease in Alberta.
“I would like to remind the people of Albert that monkeypox does not spread easily among humans. Transmission can occur through contact with body fluids, wounds or objects that have recently become contaminated with fluids or wounds, “Hinshaw said.
“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 a case.”
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Dr David Evans, a virologist at the University of Alberta who studied measles viruses in the 1980s, told Global News that monkeypox was a “disease completely different from COVID-19.”
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“It’s a DNA virus. It is not made of RNA, “he said, adding that it usually leads to small outbreaks that tend to stop after” very limited transmission. “
“It’s not a time to panic. These viruses are not particularly contagious. “
1:14 WHO does not expect monkeypox to become a new pandemic WHO does not expect monkeypox to become a new pandemic
Canada’s chief public health officer, Theresa Tam, said monkeypox could also be spread through direct contact with contaminated objects, including bedding, clothing and other common objects and surfaces.
“This includes skin-to-skin transmission or other intimate contact, including sexual activity. The virus can also be transmitted by inhaling infectious respiratory droplets during close contact, “Tam said on Twitter on Thursday afternoon.
Read more: Quebec monkey infections double in one week with 52 confirmed cases
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Anyone who believes they may have been in prolonged close contact with someone with monkeypox, or experiencing symptoms such as fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes, is asked to isolate themselves and call 811.
“Monkeypox is reported in Alberta as a rare or emerging infectious disease. “We continue to investigate the spread of monkeypox with our federal and provincial partners, and we will regularly assess the situation as it develops,” Hinsau said.
Confirmed cases of monkeypox have also been reported in Ontario and Quebec.
Evans said there were “periodic outbreaks of monkeypox,” but noted that “it’s a little unusual to see this number of cases occur” in Canada.
“As far as I know, I don’t think we’ve ever seen a case of monkeypox before,” he said, adding that there were “pretty good” antiviral drugs and vaccines available in Canada. He noted that vaccines are usually most effective in someone who has been exposed to monkeypox but still shows no symptoms.
Evans added that the history of the virus shows that it usually tends to “disappear” because it does not spread “as effectively.”
– With files from Phil Heidenreich, Global News
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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