The monkeypox virus has arrived in the region, according to Waterloo Public Health.
On Friday, the agency announced that it has recorded its first confirmed case as a man in his 30s has tested positive for the virus.
As of Wednesday, there had been 890 cases reported in Canada with 423 of those cases having been reported in Ontario.
Waterloo Public Health says that the virus is “spread through close contact with body fluids, respiratory droplets, or lesions of an infected person or animal, or through contaminated materials such as clothing and bedding.”
It says that a pox-like rash will appear after a person shows flu-like symptoms like a fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes and/or tiredness.
Most people who are infected with monkeypox could recover on their own after a few weeks, but in some circumstances, people can become very sick and die, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s website.
Infected individuals usually develop symptoms five to 21 days after being exposed to the monkeypox virus, which includes a painful rash that could last between 14 and 28 days.
Waterloo Public Health says that if you contract the virus, you should self-isolate, wear a mask and seek medical attention.
WPH says it will offer the Imvamune vaccine to those at high risk of infection with further details coming soon.
It says that the risk to the public is low since the virus down not spread easily but people can further mitigate the risk by practising proper hygiene and safe sex while also avoiding contact with those who are ill.
— with files from Global News’ Heidi Lee
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