Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Public Health say they have confirmed the first case of monkeypox in their catchment area.
Monkeypox is a viral disease that spreads through close contact with an infected individual and is usually found to be endemic in central and west Africa, the health unit said.
“The monkeypox virus has been circulating in the province for several months and we expected it to arrive in the KFL&A region. There is no increased risk of monkeypox for KFL&A residents resulting from this case,” said Dr. Piotr Oglaza, Medical Officer of Health for KFL&A Public Health.
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“In general, monkeypox does not spread easily between people. KFLA residents need not worry about going about their daily activities in the community. We recommend that people be aware of the symptoms and seek immediate medical attention if symptoms occur,” he added.
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Symptoms may include:
- a rash or blister in the mouth and around the genital areas
- swollen lymph nodes
- fever and chills
- muscle pain
- headache
- exhaustion
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The health unit says monkeypox is in the same family as smallpox, although monkeypox has much milder symptoms and is less contagious. Symptoms can appear within five to 21 days after contact with someone who has the virus.
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