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Monkeypox has arrived in British Columbia.
The first case in BC has been confirmed through laboratory testing at the BC Centre for Disease Control and is now awaiting confirmation from the National Microbiology Laboratory.
The affected party lives in Vancouver and Vancouver Coastal Health is following up with them.
A case of monkeypox has been confirmed in B.C. through laboratory testing at the BC Centre for Disease Control and awaiting confirmation at the National Microbiology Laboratory. Vancouver Coastal Health is conducting public health follow-up.
— BC Centre for Disease Control (@CDCofBC) June 6, 2022
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According to the BCCDC, more than 700 cases of monkeypox infection have been found in non-endemic countries since May, the majority of them in Europe.
“While most, but not all, recent global infections are among young men who identify as men who have sex with other men, the virus can affect anyone through close person-to-person contact,” the BCCDC noted.
“While the virus is not known to transmit through semen, vaginal or rectal fluids, it does spread through close contact during sexual activity.”
Monkeypox can spread from person to person through contact with sores and items like bedding or towels that have the virus on them.
It can also spread through close respiratory droplets such as coughs and sneezes during prolonged face-to-face close contact with an infected person.
There is a vaccine available in Canada that provides protection against monkeypox, but the BCCDC said it’s meant for close contacts and does not have benefits for those who are already infected.
“The risk of monkeypox to the general public is very low,” added the BCCDC. “There is no need for the general public to get vaccinated.”
For more information on monkeypox, visit the BCCDC website.
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