Four cases of monkeypox have been confirmed on Vancouver Island — among 61 across the province — and contact tracing and a targeted vaccination program are underway, the province said Friday.
Island Health said three of the individuals affected are on the south Island and one is in the central Island.
Vaccinations are available in Victoria, Nanaimo and Courtenay, and so far, Island Health has administered about 500 doses, said medical health officer Dr. Mike Benusic.The 61 confirmed cases of monkeypox in B.C. include 54 in the Vancouver Coastal health region and three in Fraser Health. To date, B.C. has received 14,480 doses of vaccine for outbreak control, including post-exposure shots. The province said vaccines are ordered weekly and all doses are distributed to health authorities.Vaccines have so far been prioritized for the Lower Mainland, where most of the infections have occurred.
“Learning from the HIV pandemic is very important, which is why engaging communities who are most impacted right at the start to together find solutions will be our best weapon against the spread of this virus,” Tam said.
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