1st case of monkeypox recorded in Guelph: public health

Monkeypox has arrived in the Guelph area as Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health confirmed its first local case of the virus on Thursday.

The agency says the affected individual is a man aged 20 to 30 who lives in Guelph.

“There is no increased risk of monkeypox to the general public stemming from this case,” stated Dr. Matthew Tenenbaum, associate medical officer of health.

“The virus is primarily transmitted through contact with fluid from the virus’ lesions, so it is important to be aware and take necessary precautions if you are in intimate contact with someone who has monkeypox lesions.”

Public health says the man is receiving followup treatment to deal with the virus.

The agency says it is contacting anyone who might be at risk of transmission from the case as well as those who may need to get vaccinated against the virus.

They define a close contact “as someone who has had intimate, skin-to-skin contact with the monkeypox rash or contact with the case’s infectious droplets.”

Public health says human monkeypox is caused by the monkeypox virus, a relative of the smallpox virus.

Symptoms are less severe than smallpox and may include fever, headache, fatigue and a rash/lesions (which may appear on the face or genitals and then spread to other areas).