Monkeypox 'has nothing to do with' COVID-19, B.C. physician says
While more monkeypox cases were confirmed in Canada this week, B.C. still doesn't have any known infections, said a local physician who shared what experts know so far about the disease.
CTV Morning Live spoke with Dr. Rhonda Low Wednesday and she debunked some myths circulating about the virus first discovered in the late 1950s.
"It's a DNA virus so it has nothing to do with COVID, which is an RNA virus," Low explained. "Some conspiracy theorists have managed to think that there's a link, but there's no link."
Low reiterated what other health-care professionals have said in recent weeks, that it's rare for the virus to be recorded in countries outside of Africa.
Last week, Canada's top doctor suggested there could be a "couple" of cases of monkeypox in British Columbia, but local officials said hours later those people did not have the disease. On Tuesday, the Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed there were 15 cases countrywide.
With the recent rise in cases, Low said medical experts are learning more about the virus.
Low assured monkeypox is "not easily spread between humans" but can be transmitted through large respiratory droplets or direct contact with skin lesions, bodily fluids or contaminated materials like clothing.
"It seems that people are only infectious when they have those skin lesions," Low said. "The risk to the general public is low, but we want to know if it exists."
Some of the symptoms to watch for include a flu-like illness with fever, chills, body aches and swollen glands. That's typically followed by a rash that appears one to three days later and, while it can start on the face, it can spread to the rest of the body, Low said.
While there is a more serious strain of the virus, Low said most cases being reported are mild infections.
"It goes away by itself in two to four weeks without any treatment," she said, adding that there are two vaccines that can treat monkeypox.
"So far there are no specific medications, but three treatments do exist that can be used in emergency situations."
Low's comments were part of an interview that aired on CTV Morning Live. Watch the full interview in the video player above.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.