Alberta Has Its First Confirmed Case Of Monkeypox & Here's What We Know So Far

Alberta's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw has announced that the first case of Monkeypox in the province has been confirmed.

In a series of tweets, Hinshaw said that the first case of the disease had been detected in the province after a person "had close contact with a known case outside the province."

According to WHO, Monkeypox is a "less severe" cousin to smallpox, and symptoms of the disease can include fever, rash, lesions, muscle aches, chills, exhaustion, headaches and swollen lymph nodes.

"Though monkeypox is uncommon and generally considered a low risk to the public at large, one isolated case has now been confirmed in Alberta," Hinshaw said.

Details about the infected person, including where they live, have not been revealed for privacy reasons.

According to Hinshaw, the person is currently self-isolating and is cooperating with Alberta Health in their investigation, and the risk of infection with Monkeypox is still low.

"This virus does not discriminate and is not limited to spread from intimate sexual activities. This kind of misinformation and stigmatization can lead to misunderstanding of risks and negative health outcomes," she added.

Anyone who believes they've spent time with someone who has Monkeypox, or if they have symptoms, should self-isolate and call 811 or their primary care physician.

Currently, there are several confirmed cases of Monkeypox across the country, including five in Toronto. The first two Monkeypox cases in Canada were confirmed in Quebec last month.

Cases have also been confirmed in the U.K., U.S., Spain, Portugal and Italy.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.