News

Newly Reportable Disease: Candida auris (C. auris)

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
Date: January 30, 2025
From: Dr. Monir Taha, Associate Medical Officer of Health

Dear Colleagues, 

We are writing to inform you that on January 1, 2025, Ontario’s Ministry of Health designated Candida auris (C. auris) a Disease of Public Health Significance. Per Ontario Regulation 569 under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, health care providers are required to report all suspect or confirmed cases of C. auris clinical infection to Ottawa Public Health...

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IPAC lapse with risk of blood-borne infection at personal service settings

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
Date: January 28, 2025
From: Dr. Monir Taha, Associate Medical Officer of Health
Subject: IPAC lapse with risk of blood-borne infection at personal service settings

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is alerting you to the possibility that that you may be approached by patients for counselling and testing related to an infection prevention and control (IPAC) lapse from two Gorgeous Brows and Lashes personal service setting locations: 

• Gorgeous Brows and Lashes, 3900...

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Updated treatment recommendations for N. gonorrhoeae

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
Date: January 27, 2025
From: Dr. Michelle Foote, Associate Medical Officer of Health

Dear Colleagues,

Please see the attached memo (available only in English) from the Ministry of Health regarding updated treatment recommendations for N. gonorrhoeae.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has provided updated interim guidance on the treatment of N. gonorrhoeae infections, due to changing patterns of antibiotic resistance. The preferred treatment for...

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Reminder of Changes to Ontario’s Publicly Funded Pneumococcal Vaccine Program

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
Date: January 9, 2025
From: Dr. Trevor Arnason, Deputy Medical Officer of Health

Dear Colleagues,

As of July 2024, Ontario’s publicly funded pneumococcal vaccine program transitioned to the following products:

Routine Infant Series:

• Pneu-C-15 (Vaxneuvance®) now replaces Pneu-C-13 (Prevnar®13).

Older Adults and High-Risk Patients:

• Older adults and high-risk patients now receive Pneu-C-20 (Prevnar 20TM) in place of Pneu-P-23 (Pneumovax®23) and/or Pneu-C-13...

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Start of Influenza Season Declared in Ottawa

To: Ottawa Physicians & Nurse Practitioners
Date: January 8, 2025
From: Dr. Laura Bourns (Associate Medical Officer of Health)

Dear Colleagues: 

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is now declaring the start of the influenza season in Ottawa. The start to influenza season is declared when the percent of respiratory lab specimens positive for influenza (percent positivity) reaches 5% for two consecutive weeks. 

For the week ending December 28, the percent of respiratory lab specimens positive for influenza was 9...

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