Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting its first probable case of the newly-emerging Monkeypox virus.

If confirmed, this province will be the sixth with at least one case of the virus, which can be very painful but is rarely fatal.

It’s spread mainly by close contact with an infected person’s body fluids or mucus from the nose, saliva, or sores.

And while it has so far been affecting mostly men who’ve had sex with other men, anyone can contract the virus, regardless of age, sex, sexual orientation.

Prevention and isolation is similar to the protocol for COVID-19 when it comes to hand-washing and the use of masks to limit spread.

Officials say it’s no surprise that Monkeypox has been detected in the province, but there are no details on the single probable case, other than it likely arrived due to travel.

Early symptoms include fever, chills, headache and joint pain, followed by a rash that usually last 2 weeks to a month.

Anyone with symptoms should call their doctor or 811 for testing.

There are now 745 cases of Monkeypox in Canada and an estimated 17,000 worldwide.