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First Monkeypox case in Niagara

​Niagara Region Public Health and Emergency Services is reporting the first confirmed case of Monkeypox in a Niagara resident.

​Niagara Region Public Health and Emergency Services is reporting the first confirmed case of Monkeypox in a Niagara resident.

In a statement released Monday, July 25, Public Health said that it is conducting case and contact management to identify at-risk contacts, and to help prevent spread of the virus. Eligible close contacts will be offered Imvamune vaccine.

Monkeypox can spread from person to person through direct contact with an infected individual’s bodily fluids, sores, or materials contaminated with the virus, such as bedding, clothing, or toothbrush.

Anyone with close contact with a confirmed case of Monkeypox could be at risk for the virus, said the statement. Individuals with multiple or anonymous sexual partners are at a higher risk of contracting the infection. During this current outbreak, infections have been primarily reported among gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men through their close personal and sexual networks.

Symptoms can include:

  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Muscle aches and pain
  • Swollen lymph nodes (e.g., in the neck and groin)
  • A blistering rash that typically appears between one and three days after other symptoms, such as a fever, develop.

Niagara Public Health advises that if you have been exposed to a suspected or confirmed case of Monkeypox, monitor for symptoms for 21 days. If you develop symptoms, immediately self-isolate and contact your health care provider or Public Health. Most individuals who become infected with Monkeypox will recover in two to four weeks without treatment, however, some people can experience severe illness.

Public Health will be operating several Monkeypox vaccine clinics for at-risk individuals from Aug. 2-4. More information on those clinics will be shared later this week.

As this is an evolving situation, Public Health continues to remind everyone of the importance of using credible sources to stay informed. For more information on monkeypox, please visit niagararegion.ca/health/monkeypox.aspx