For Immediate Release July 20, 2022 | 16:00 | Windsor County and Essex
Through confirmed laboratory tests, 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 case of smallpox to keep residents informed, but due to customer privacy and confidentiality, no further details will be shared publicly.
According to acting health doctor Dr Shanker Nesathurai, “At this time, the risk of transmitting monkeypox to the community remains low. Although mostly cases have been identified among men who report sexual contact or Intimate contact with other men, anyone can suffer from monkeypox. The most commonly reported risk factors include having sexual or intimate contact with a new partner and / or more than one. “
Monkeypox has been confirmed in other parts of Ontario since the spring of this year. The disease is a viral disease that comes from the same family of viruses that causes smallpox. Monkeypox is usually transmitted through close contact with body fluids, rashes, and scabs from 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. Although monkeypox can infect people of all ages, some people have a higher risk of developing serious illnesses, including children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised people.
If you have any questions about exposure, please contact your healthcare provider. The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) has been working with local health care providers to monitor and identify any other potential cases in our community.
For more information on Monkeypox, visit or