Public Health Alerts for Health Care Professionals

Key Influenza Information for the 2019-20 Season

Posted Thursday, November 07, 2019

To: Community Health and Community Resource Centres, Ottawa Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Emergency Departments, Walk-in Clinics
From: Dr. Carolyn Pim
Date: November 7, 2019

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is starting to see influenza cases and long-term care facility outbreaks in Ottawa, although the level of activity is still low. We would like to remind you of key strategies to reduce the burden of illness from influenza as well as resources you may find helpful in your practice....

Annual Assessment of Student Immunization Records

Posted Friday, October 25, 2019

To: Ottawa Immunizers
From: Dr. Robin Taylor, Associate Medical Officer of Health
Date: October 24, 2019

Dear Colleagues,

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is now beginning the annual process of assessing Ottawa students’ immunization records for compliance with the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA).

To attend school in Ontario, students need to be immunized against nine vaccine preventable diseases or have a medical or religious/philosophical exemption for:

• Diphtheria
• Measles
• Meningococcal...

2019-2020 Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP)

Posted Thursday, October 10, 2019

To: Ottawa Immunizers
From: Dr. Sarah Funnell, Associate Medical Officer of Health
Date: October 10, 2019

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is adjusting our influenza vaccine distribution plan based on revised amounts received from the Ministry of Health.

OPH has received some doses of quadrivalent influenza vaccine which we are preparing for distribution to you beginning next week. Based on the amount we have received, you will receive 30 percent of the amount you received last season,...

Potential measles exposure, Ottawa

Posted Friday, October 04, 2019

To: Physicians and Nurse Practitioners, Emergency departments, Walk in clinics
From: Dr. Monir Taha, Associate Medical Officer of Health, Ottawa Public Health
Date: October 4, 2019

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has been informed of a confirmed case of measles in Montreal with brief travel to Ottawa on September 22, 2019, during the period of communicability. The period for post-exposure prophylactic immunization and immunoglobulin has ended for this exposure. If an individual presents...

West Nile virus positive lab test in Ottawa resident

Posted Tuesday, September 24, 2019

To: Ottawa Physicians, Emergency Departments and Walk-in Clinics
From: Dr. Monir Taha, Associate Medical Officer of Health, Ottawa Public Health
Date: September 24, 2019

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has received the first positive result for West Nile virus (WNV) in an Ottawa area resident for the 2019 season. While WNV activity in mosquitoes has been low this year, risk for transmission to humans remains possible until the first few hard frosts of the fall.

Please keep WNV in mind...