More than 7 dozen monkeypox cases confirmed in British Columbia: latest BCCDC data
About one in 10 monkeypox cases in Canada have been confirmed in British Columbia, the latest data suggests.
In an update Tuesday, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control updated its total to 85 cases of the disease.
The vast majority remain in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, with six cases each confirmed in the Fraser and Island health authorities.
Health Canada last updated its numbers on the monkeypox virus outbreak on Aug. 5. At that time, there were 957 cases in the country, 81 of which were in B.C.
At that time, 11.8 per cent of the Canadian cases were in the western-most province. Adding four new cases to both tallies, the percentage is similar (11.4 per cent).
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MONKEYPOX
The provincial government says it's working closely with its counterparts and officials in Ottawa to stop the spread of monkeypox, and according to the BCCDC, the risk to the general population is still considered low.
Public health officials are offering vaccinations to those most at risk, which is currently believed to be men who have sex with other men and close contacts of confirmed cases.
Anyone can be affected, though, as it spreads in several ways.
It can spread from animals to humans or between people, as well as through contact with contaminated objects including bedding and towels.
A person does not have to make contact with sores or blisters. They can also be infected from respiratory droplets during close, face-to-face contact, the BCCDC says.
The disease is not considered to be a sexually transmitted infection, but because sexual activity includes close contact, some cases have been spread that way.
Monkeypox infections are known to be in more than 70 countries, prompting a public health emergency declared by the World Health Organization.
SYMPTOMS OF MONKEYPOX
Monkeypox can present in different ways but most people experience two stages over a period of two to four weeks, the BCCDC says.
Stage 1 can include fever, chills, intense headache and swollen lymph nodes, as well as back and muscle pain, and fatigue or exhaustion.
Some in Stage 1 may also have a sore throat, cough, nausea or diarrhea, though those symptoms are less common, according to health officials.
Stage 2 starts between one and five days later, in most cases, the CDC says, and includes the sores or blisters that give the disease its name.
The pox are most commonly seen on feet, hands, arms, legs, mouths and genitals, according to the BCCDC. They last between two and three weeks in most cases.
And those wondering if they have the disease should note the rash sometimes changes in appearance, so it may start as small spots, then later become fluid-filled blisters. Eventually they turn to scabs and fall off.
Not everyone experiences the same symptoms, and health officials say patients may experience the stages in the opposite order, skip Stage 1 entirely, or have sores only in one spot.
Those pox can also look different. There's a photo here that the BCCDC uses as a reference.
WHAT DO I DO IF I HAVE MONKEYPOX?
Those who believe they've been exposed are asked to self-monitor for symptoms, as it can take as long as three weeks for signs to develop.
If they haven't been contacted by public health, they're asked to call their local health authority. Public health officials are attempting contact tracing to ensure vaccinations of those exposed or at risk.
If a person falls ill, they should contact their doctor right away, and let them know they've had contact with a case or suspected case.
Until they've been tested, they should avoid all types of close contact with others, especially those with greater risk of experiencing severe illness. This includes pregnant people, children and those with weakened immune systems.
They should not share towels, clothing, bedding or other things that have been in contact with their skin, and should cover sores and blisters with clothing or bandages.
They're advised to wear a face mask around others, get someone else to care for their pets if possible, and dispose of all contaminated materials in a "high-quality" garbage bag.
Those items should be stored in animal-proof bins so pets and other animals, including rodents, can't get at them, the BCCDC says.
If they test positive, they'll be given more instructions from public health.
Fortunately, most people who contract monkeypox recover on their own after experiencing a mild illness.
Some cases are moderate to severe, however, so they may require further care, including medications or treatment in hospital.
There's no well-established treatment for monkeypox, but anti-viral medications are sometimes prescribed.
Anyone who tests positive and then experiences worsening or new throat or rectal pain, severe fever or chills, shortness of breath, chest pain or new pox lesions on several parts of the body should go to an urgent primary care facility or emergency department.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.