1 case of monkeypox confirmed in Alberta
Person had close contact with an infected individual, Dr. Deena Hinshaw says
An "isolated case" of monkeypox has been confirmed in Alberta, the province's chief medical officer of health said Thursday.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw posted on Twitter that the Alberta case had close contact with a known case outside the province.
Hinshaw did not say where in the province the infected individual lives.
She said no identifying information about the person will be released to protect the privacy of the patient.
"The individual is currently self-isolating and we appreciate their co-operation in working with our team to inform our investigation and contact tracing," said Hinshaw. "At this time, the risk of further transmission is low."
Hinshaw said monkeypox is a rare disease that can cause fevers, aches and rashes. Monkeypox is generally considered uncommon and low risk to the public at large, Hinshaw said.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, monkeypox typically spreads from close person-to-person contact with an infected individual through respiratory droplets, direct contact with sores or bodily fluids, or contact through contaminated clothing.
Monkeypox is reportable in Alberta as a rare or emerging communicable disease. We are continuing to investigate the spread of monkeypox with our federal and provincial partners and will regularly assess the situation as it evolves. (9/9)
—@CMOH_AlbertaAccording to PHAC, there are 58 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Canada, as of Thursday.
Anyone who believes they might have monkeypox is asked to self-isolate and call 811 or their primary care physician.