Australia, Canada Detect First Cases Of Monkeypox Infection

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th May, 2022) Australia confirmed the first case of monkeypox on Friday in the southeastern state of New South Wales, and Canada detected its first two cases in the eastern province of Quebec.

"NSW (New South Wales) Health has identified a probable case of monkeypox in a recently returned traveller to Europe," the NSW health authority said in a statement.

The infection has been found in a man, who is about 40 years old, experiencing mild symptoms several days after arriving in Sydney, according to the statement. He visited a doctor with symptoms compatible with monkeypox, and an urgent testing detected a probable case of the disease, with another confirmatory testing underway. The man is now quarantined at home.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is conducting a probe together with the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to "investigate potential exposure and contacts of a case of monkeypox recently identified in the US," as the suspected patient has recently arrived to Canada from the US.

"Tonight (May 19), the Province of Quebec was notified that two samples received by the NML (National Microbiology Laboratory) have tested positive for monkeypox.

These are the first two cases confirmed in Canada," the PHAC said in a statement.

The UK Health Security Agency was the first health authority in Europe to publicly report a case of monkeypox on May 7, in a patient who recently traveled from Nigeria. Since then, cases of monkeypox have also been confirmed in Portugal, Spain, France, and the US.

Monkeypox is a rare viral disease transmitted to humans from animals, with lethality ranging from 1% to 10%. The disease does not spread easily among people, but it may have complications.

Monkeypox predominantly occurs in Central and West Africa and results in swelling of the lymph nodes as well as widespread rash on the body, similar to the symptoms seen in patients with smallpox, but less severe. The incubation period usually lasts from six to 13 days but it can last up to 21 days. The symptoms of monkeypox are fever, back and muscle pain, and a rash on the body.