The first confirmed case of monkeypox was identified in New Brunswick on Friday, and according to the chief medical officer of health, Dr. Jennifer Russell, is contagious due to community spread.
“The person has not traveled and that means there could be other cases in the province,” Russell said. “We’re really working closely with our regional public health teams to do contract tracing right now and identify those contacts and offer those vaccines.”
The monkeypox vaccine is not currently widely available to the public.
“We offer vaccines to contacts and to the cases themselves, so that’s what’s being done at the moment,” Dr Russell said.
The virus is spread through close physical contact with an infected person, not in the same way as COVID-19.
“The virus seems to be in those who have close sexual contact right now,” said Dr. Mark McMillan, president of the New Brunswick Medical Society. “I don’t think we’re going to see a large amount of people that we’re going to start offering isolation, but one case can lead to two cases and that can lead to more, so we have to be aware of the fact that this virus is in the country McMillan said.
Health professionals encourage mariners to be cautious.
“Even with COVID-19, there are the same guidelines you can follow when you’re in very close physical contact with someone,” McMillan said. “You may not know, or if it seems like there are any infectious symptoms, obviously try to remove yourself from that situation.
But if you’re a healthcare worker, he added, you’ll still need to wear appropriate personal protective equipment.
Public Health reminds people to remain vigilant when it comes to close physical contact and watch for signs of infection.
“The monkeypox virus is transmissible to other people within six to thirteen days,” said Dr. Russell. “At first you’ll have fever, fatigue, muscle aches and lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes), and then that will be followed one to three days later by a rash that’s mostly on the extremities,” she said.
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