First confirmed monkeypox case in Ontario's Leeds, Grenville, Lanark region

The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit is reporting its first case of laboratory-confirmed monkeypox in the region.

The health unit did not disclose any information about the individual in a news release about the confirmed case. 

Monkeypox is an infectious disease caused by a virus found in some wildlife species of central and western Africa, but it has been spreading in Canada. It spreads via close face-to-face contact with respiratory secretions of an infected individual, or direct contact with the skin lesions of monkeypox, or contact with contaminated clothing or bedding. Intimate or sexual contact is considered one of the most common risk factors for spread in Ontario.

Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Kieran Moore, said the virus is not spreading rapidly in the province and the vaccination strategy appears to be working.

The LGLDHU says monkeypox vaccine is available for close contact cases if needed.

Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, headache, exhaustion and a rash that often appears on the face and the extremities a few days after symptoms begin.

If an individual has any monkeypox symptoms, they should contact their health-care provider and avoid close contact with others until symptoms have been diagnosed, and any rash or lesions have healed.