News

Message from Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Vera Etches

On behalf of the Ottawa Public Health (OPH) team, thank you for your work to promote and protect the health of people in Ottawa.  I want to assure you that OPH’s aim is to support you to do your work, whether by making referrals to parenting supports easier, highlighting required infection prevention and control practices, or sharing links to mental health and substance use resources.

As I am new in the role of Medical Officer of Health for the City of Ottawa, I have been meeting with primary...

NEW! Download Referral Form for Public Health Nurse Home Visiting Services

The Healthy Growth and Development program is pleased to announce a new way for health care professionals to refer patients to home visiting by a Public Health Nurse.  The new referral form can be filled online and faxed to Ottawa Public Health. Phone referrals are still accepted.  

Patients who may benefit from our home visiting program include (but are not limited to):

• Newcomers (less than 5 years in Canada)
• Teenage parents
• Families living in shelters
• Patients dealing with addiction and/or mental...

Non-medicinal Cannabis: Resources to Help Answer Your Patients’ Questions

Cannabis will be legal in Canada as of October 17, 2018. In a recent telephone survey, 14% of adults (19+) in Ottawa say they may try cannabis once it is legal.1 As the legal status changes, patients may have more questions about using cannabis for non-medicinal purposes.

Patient Information on Cannabis

Ottawa Public Health provides targeted information for adults, youth and young adults, parents, and pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Lower Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines

For patients who disclose cannabis...

Message to vaccine providers

Due to the significant loss of power across the City of Ottawa this past weekend, Ottawa Public Health would like to remind health care providers who have publicly-funded vaccines in stock to:     

• Check your refrigerator temperature logs and download your temperature data if possible to ensure temperatures remained within optimal range (2 – 8 degrees C).  
• If temperatures increased beyond normal range, follow normal procedures for when a temperature breach occurs.
  • DO NOT USE the vaccine (but keep...

Campylobacteriosis in Ottawa

To: Emergency Departments, Emergency and Infectious Diseases Physicians, Hospital IPAC Teams, Family Physicians and Nurse PractitionersFrom: Dr. Robin Taylor, Associate Medical Officer of HealthDate: August 31, 2018

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has seen a recent increase in the number of cases of Campylobacteriosis or Campylobacter enteritis. Since August 1, 2018, Ottawa has had a 50% increase in cases of Campylobacteriosis compared to the same period in 2017. To date, a common source for these cases...