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The World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency due to the global outbreak of monkeypox,
This handout photo taken in 2001 and received Monday, May 23, 2022, of the Robert Koch Institute, shows a color electron microscopic image of the monkeypox virus. Photo by ANDREA MAENNEL / ANDREA SCHNARTENDORFF / Robert Koch Institute / AFP via Getty Images
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Monkey pox vaccines will now be available for high-risk groups, the BC Ministry of Health announced Friday.
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The ministry said that while the number of cases in BC remains low, some community transmission has been identified.
As of Wednesday, there were 61 cases of monkeypox in BC, including three cases at Fraser Health, 54 at Vancouver Coastal Health and four at Island Health. There are no cases in Interior Health and Northern Health.
Health officials will conduct contact tracing for those who have been exposed to smallpox.
The vaccine can be used as a preventive measure or given after exposure to prevent illness or serious consequences.
It would be available to contacts of people who have smallpox or people who are considered high risk, the ministry said.
According to the BC Center for Disease Control, the vaccine would be offered primarily to transgender people or men who have sex with men and meet any of the following criteria:
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• Have received a diagnosis of chlamydia, gonorrhea and/or syphilis in the last two months, or • Have had two or more sexual partners in the last 21 days, or • Have attended bathhouses, sex clubs or park games, or plan to • Have had anonymous sex in the last 21 days, or plan to do so, or• Engage in sex work or plan to do so, either as a worker or client
BC health officials say the monkeypox virus does not spread easily from person to person. All identified local transmission has involved prolonged skin-to-skin contact, which is suspected to be the primary mode of spread of the virus.
To date, BC has received 14,480 doses of vaccine for outbreak control, including post-exposure prophylaxis.
Vaccines are ordered weekly and all doses are distributed to health authorities for administration. As of Wednesday, 7,200 doses have been administered to high-risk people, according to the health ministry.
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Last week, the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern to manage the global outbreak of monkeypox.
The Public Health Agency of Canada has urged gay and bisexual men to practice safe sex and limit their number of sexual partners to reduce the risk of contracting the disease, which spreads mainly among men who have sex with men.
Monkey pox can occur in two stages, with flu-like symptoms appearing first, followed by a rash, usually with sores or blisters, although many people only have the rash.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 21,148 cases of monkeypox have been reported worldwide, with the majority of cases identified in 71 countries, including Canada, that have historically not reported the virus. illness
ticrawford@postmedia.com
— With archives from The Canadian Press
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