Public Health Alerts

Start of Influenza Season Declared in Ottawa 2025-2026

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners  
Date: December 4, 2025
From: Dr. Laura Bourns, Deputy Medical Officer of Health  
Subject: Start of Influenza Season Declared in Ottawa

Dear Colleagues:

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is now declaring the start of the 2025-2026 influenza season in Ottawa.

For the week ending November 29, the percent of respiratory lab specimens positive for influenza was 20.5.%. The week prior, the percent of respiratory lab specimens positive for influenza was 8.6%. Influenza...

Read more

Annual Assessment of Student Immunization Records 2025

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners  
Date: October 30, 2025
From: Dr. Laura Bourns, Deputy Medical Officer of Health  
Subject: Annual Assessment of Student Immunization Records  

Dear Colleagues,

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has started our annual process of assessing 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...

Read more

NEW measles exposures table and update October 29, 2025

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners  
Date: October 29, 2025
From: Dr. Michelle Foote, Associate Medical Officer of Health
Subject: NEW measles exposures table and update October 29, 2025

Dear Colleagues,

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has confirmed an additional two measles infections with epidemiological links to the recent cluster of five infections. The risk to the general population remains low.

A new temporary measles exposures table is available to assist individuals regarding exposure to the...

Read more

Measles update October 23, 2025

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners  
Date: October 23, 2025
From: Dr. Michelle Foote, Associate Medical Officer of Health
Subject: Measles update October 23, 2025

Dear Colleagues,

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has recently confirmed five measles infections among related individuals. At this time, there is no evidence of transmission in the general community, and the risk to the general population remains low.

Contacts in the community who could be identified and contacted were notified directly of...

Read more

Information for the 2025/2026 COVID-19 Vaccine Program and Universal Influenza Immunization Program

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
Date: September 25, 2025
From:  Dr. Laura Bourns, Deputy Medical Officer of Health
Subject: Information for the 2025/2026 COVID-19 Vaccine Program and Universal Influenza Immunization Program 

Dear Colleagues,

This communication provides details on the 2025-2026 Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP) and COVID-19 vaccine program. Under these programs, publicly funded COVID-19 and influenza vaccines will be available this fall, first for high-risk and...

Read more