Public Health Alerts

Very low risk of hepatitis A following food service establishment exposure

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
Date: December 17, 2024
From: Dr. Monir Taha, Associate Medical Officer of Health

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is alerting you to the possibility that patients may seek your assessment related to a potential exposure to hepatitis A. It is possible that patrons of Tim Hortons at 372 Hunt Club Road, Ottawa, between November 15 and December 8, 2024, may have been exposed to hepatitis A, though the risk is deemed very low.

OPH is not recommending hepatitis A...

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Public Health Ontario Report: Mycoplasma pneumoniae testing

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
Date: December 10, 2024
From: Dr. Laura Bourns, Associate Medical Officer of Health

In follow up to preliminary laboratory data released by Public Health Ontario (PHO) to public health units on Mycoplasma pneumoniae (shared in a Public Health Alert issued on November 18), PHO has published a report “Mycoplasma pneumoniae Testing at Public Health Ontario”.  This report summarizes Mycoplasma pneumoniae testing performed by Public Health Ontario (PHO) from...

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Annual Assessment of Student Immunization Records 2024

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
Date: November 26, 2024
From: Dr. Trevor Arnason, Deputy Medical Officer of Health
Subject: Annual Assessment of Student Immunization Records

Dear Colleagues,

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is starting the annual process of assessing childhood 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...

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Important Update: RSV Monoclonal Antibody (mAb) Beyfortus® Supply

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
Date: November 20, 2024
From: Dr. Trevor Arnason, Deputy Medical Officer of Health
Subject: Important Update: RSV Monoclonal Antibody (mAb) Beyfortus® Supply

Dear Colleagues, 

This message follows on the communication sent by Ottawa Public Health (OPH) on November 4, 2024, regarding the supply of monoclonal antibody (mAb) Beyfortus® used for Ontario’s Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) prevention program for infants and high-risk children.

OPH has received...

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Mycoplasma pneumoniae update

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
Date: November 18, 2024
From: Dr. Laura Bourns, Associate Medical Officer of Health

Dear Colleagues,

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) would like to share information, provided by Public Health Ontario (PHO) to public health units, regarding Mycoplasma pneumoniae and an increase in M. pneumoniae activity currently being seen in Ontario. 

M. pneumoniae is not a designated Disease of Public Health Significance (‘reportable disease’) and therefore there is no provincial...

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