The Health Unit in Sudbury, Ontario has confirmed the first case of monkeypox in the area.
Public Health Sudbury & District said the individual likely contracted the infection in the Toronto area.
The individual is isolated and all close contacts are identified.
“Currently the risk to the general population remains low as we have not detected the virus circulating in Sudbury and the areas and it does not spread easily,” said Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, medical officer of health.
“Public health monitors everyone. It’s not isolation that’s needed, but really careful monitoring of symptoms to make sure you don’t develop any symptoms in the 21 days or three weeks after exposure.”
“Residents should not have to worry about going about their routine daily activities,” Sutcliffe said.
The health unit is closely monitoring the situation.
Anyone who develops symptoms or has had contact with a suspected or known case of monkeypox should contact their healthcare provider immediately.
“Anyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, age or gender, can spread monkeypox through contact with body fluids, monkeypox sores or by sharing contaminated items,” Sutcliffe said.
Monkeypox — a rare disease for North America — is usually a mild illness, and treatment focuses on relieving symptoms. It is spread through close contact with an infected person or through their clothing or underwear. The virus enters the body through skin-to-skin contact with body fluids (saliva, lesions, blisters, or rashes) and through mucous membranes or respiratory droplets during prolonged face-to-face contact (breathing, talking, and coughing).
Symptoms usually develop five to 21 days after exposure and last between two and four weeks.
Sutcliffe says that at the local level, health care providers are well versed in what to look for.
“We’ve shared what we call advisory alerts, making sure clinicians have the information they need at their fingertips.”
“Of course, it’s a reportable disease right now,” Sutcliffe said. “So if a clinician, doctor or nurse practitioner forms the opinion that someone may be infected, they contact us. And so the system works well or has worked well. And that’s the situation here.”
Symptoms include high fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, headache, muscle, joint and back pain and exhaustion. A rash can also develop on the face or limbs, as well as on the hands, feet, mouth and genitals, later forming scabs.
Sutcliffe says he believes this is the first confirmed case of monkeypox in northern Ontario.
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