Wastewater Surveillance Detects Trace Amounts of Mpox Virus in Newfoundland and Labrador

Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, Chief Medical Officer of Health, will be available to media today, Friday, August 16, at 1:00 p.m. to discuss mpox, which the World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). The media availability will take place at Confederation Building, West Block, Department of Health and Community Services lobby.

Public Health wastewater surveillance has recently detected trace amounts of the mpox virus in Newfoundland and Labrador however, there are no confirmed cases of mpox in the province reported at this time. The detections in the province were not of the same subgroup (clade) of mpox virus that prompted the WHO’s declaration of a PHEIC.

Mpox is usually a mild illness, and most people recover on their own after a few weeks. Symptoms can include fever, chills, rash, muscle and joint pain, and exhaustion, and last for two to four weeks. It is spread through close contact with a person with mpox, and sharing clothing, bedding, or common items that have been in contact with body fluids or sores of a person with mpox.

The Imvamune vaccine is available to eligible individuals who are asymptomatic or who have been in close contact with someone exposed to the virus. Please visit the Department of Health and Community Services website for eligibility criteria. Residents are encouraged to contact their health care provider, 811, or public health if they develop symptoms of mpox or if they have had contact with a person with known or suspected mpox.