Public Health Alerts

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
Date: December 15, 2025
From:  Dr. Trevor Arnason, Medical Officer of Health
Subject: Early influenza season and severe impacts on children

Dear Colleagues,

The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) is reporting an early and intense start to flu season leading to unprecedented volumes in the Emergency Department and a higher-than-usual number of flu cases and complications for this time of year.

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.

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: 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.

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.

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.

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
Date: September 22, 2025
From: Dr. Emil Prikryl, Associate Medical Officer of Health
Subject: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Exposures at Long Point, ON

Dear Colleagues,

Please see linked below a memo from Ontario’s Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health regarding Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) exposures at Long Point, Ontario.

To: Ottawa Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and Midwives
Date: September 18, 2025
From:  Dr. Laura Bourns, Deputy Medical Officer of Health
Subject: Product ordering information for Ontario’s RSV prevention programs

Dear Colleagues,

In follow-up to the Public Health Alert shared September 15, 2025 ‘

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners
Date: September 16, 2025
From: Dr. Emil Prikryl, Associate Medical Officer of Health
Subject: Increased Incidence of Anaplasmosis in Ontario, 2025

Dear Colleagues,

A recent report of a death in an Ottawa resident caused by anaplasmosis serves as a reminder that we remain very much in the season for tick-borne diseases such as

To: Ottawa Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and Midwives
Date: September 15, 2025
From: Dr. Laura Bourns, Deputy Medical Officer of Health
Subject: Information on Ontario’s RSV prevention programs

Dear Colleagues,

The below communication provides information on Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) prevention programs the 2025-2026 RSV season for:

1. high-risk older adults, and
2. infants and high-risk children

Please note: The RSV product order forms will be available at