Through lab confirmed testing, a Windsor-Essex County (WEC) resident has been diagnosed with monkeypox. The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is notifying the community of the first confirmed monkeypox case to keep residents informed, but due to client privacy and confidentiality, no further details will be shared publicly.

According to Acting Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, “At this time, the risk of monkeypox transmission in the community remains low. Although cases have mostly been identified among males who report sexual or intimate contact with other males, anyone can get monkeypox. The most commonly reported risk factors include engaging in sexual or intimate contact with new and/or more than one partner.”

Monkeypox has been confirmed in other parts of Ontario dating back to the spring of this year. The disease is a viral illness that comes from the same family of viruses that causes smallpox. Monkeypox is usually transmitted through close contact with bodily fluids, rashes, and scabs of infected people or animals. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and exhaustion, followed by the development of a rash. The time from infection to symptoms is usually 7 to 14 days. While Monkeypox can infect people of all ages, some people are at higher risk for severe illness, including children, pregnant women, and those who are immunocompromised.

If you have any concerns of exposure, please contact your health care provider. The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) has been working with local healthcare providers to monitor and identify any other potential cases in our community.

For more information about Monkeypox, please visit https://wechu.org/monkeypox  or https://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/emb/monkeypox.aspx