Monkeypox in B.C.: How it's been transmitted in the province so far

The risk of monkeypox infection to the general public is still considered low, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control in its latest report on case totals.

As of Tuesday, the centre said, 125 cases have been confirmed in B.C. so far. The latest update added six cases to the previous tally; there were 119 cases last Thursday.

The CDC said it's likely the total is actually higher, given what it described in a summary as a "reporting lag."

The province's first case was announced on June 6, though data from the BCCDC shows that cases were confirmed on May 22 and 29. In a period of 13 weeks, B.C. has confirmed 102 cases in the Vancouver Coastal Health region.

The remaining 18.4 per cent of cases are spread out between three of the province's five health authorities. Fifteen cases have been confirmed in Fraser Health, six in Island Health and the last two in the Interior.

Nation wide, the vast majority of cases are in Ontario and Quebec, with 571 and 453 patients known to have the disease, respectively, as of last week. 

On the West Coast, health officials have provided some details about who's been confirmed to have monkeypox.

All are males between the ages of 22 and 62. The median age is 37, according to an epidemiological summary published Aug. 15.

No one has needed to be hospitalized, and no one has died.

The "vast majority" caught monkeypox through intimate contact during sex, although it can be transmitted in other ways.

The summary said a quarter of people confirmed to have monkeypox had a known contact with a case, a person with symptoms or with contaminated materials.

Most people hadn't travelled out of the province recently, suggesting they caught it here.

There is a vaccine available for close contacts and people considered to be at a higher risk of transmission, and as of last week, 14,177 doses had been administered in the province.

While transmission is slow and considered low in B.C., monkeypox is the subject of a public health emergency worldwide.

Most, but not all, recent infections are among men who identify as gay or bisexual, or who have sex with other men. Still, it can spread to anyone through close contact, especially during sex.

It can also spread from animals to humans, and from objects used by someone with monkeypox to humans.

There are two stages of symptoms, though some don't experience them in order, or may not experience both.

Stage 1 includes fever, chills, "intense headache," swollen lymph nodes, back pain, muscle pain and fatigue, the BCCDC says. Some also experience sore throat, cough, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

Stage 2 typically starts one to five days later, and this is when the "pox" appear.

Sores, blisters or a rash – often on the hands, feet, legs, mouth, arms and genitals – can change appearance, eventually scabbing and falling off. This can last up to two weeks.

Anyone who's been exposed is asked to monitor themselves for symptoms, keeping in mind they may not notice anything for as long as three weeks. They should contact their regional health authority if they haven't been contacted already.

Those who fall ill with what they think is monkeypox need to contact a doctor to get tested as soon as possible. While they wait for confirmation, they should avoid close contact with others, and not share towels, clothing, sheets or other things that come in contact with the skin.

Sores and blisters should be covered with clothing or bandages if possible, and confirmed cases should wear a mask when near other people. Ideally, pets should be cared for by someone else until the patient has healed, but if that's not possible, the same precautions taken with people should be used with animals.

All masks, bandages and other contaminated materials should be kept in animal-proof receptacles to prevent transmission to wild animals.

If a case of monkeypox is confirmed, a health-care provider will contact the patient with more information on what to do.

Most people recover on their own without need for hospitalization or medication.

 

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