Vancouver Island records 1st monkeypox case, health authority says risk 'very low'

Health officials on Vancouver Island have confirmed the first local case of monkeypox, and the first case in B.C. outside the Vancouver Coastal Health region.

Island Health announced the confirmation of the case in a statement late Friday afternoon, saying "the risk to the general public is very low."

The infected person resides on the South Island, and public health teams are "conducting follow-up," the health authority said, noting that the B.C. Centre for Disease Control confirmed the case through laboratory testing on Thursday.

The case brings B.C.'s total in the current global outbreak to 21. The other 20 cases in the province have been detected in Vancouver Coastal Health, according to the BCCDC website. 

"As part of established communicable disease management practice, Island Health is managing contacts identified through contact tracing," the health authority said in its statement.

"Monkeypox does not generally spread easily between people and the risk to the general public at this time is very low."

As of late June, monkeypox cases have been detected in more than 50 countries and territories outside of Africa, where it is endemic.

Most – but not all – of the recent global infections have been found among men who have sex with men, Island Health said, adding that the virus can affect anyone through close person-to-person contact.

"Within Island Health, vaccinations are being provided to high-risk contacts identified through contact tracing," the health authority said.

Symptoms of monkeypox can appear anywhere from five to 21 days after exposure, and the disease can manifest in two stages, beginning with flu-like symptoms, followed by a rash with sores and blisters.

"People are considered to be infectious from when symptoms first appear until the sores crust over, are dry, and new skin is visible," Island Health said. "Most people with monkeypox have mild symptoms and do not require any specific interventions."