Durham region’s health department is warning residents of a confirmed measles case in an unimmunized child with a history of recent international travel.
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Tag: Canada
Topic: measlesView all posts for the topic: measles
Tale of two outbreaks: Canada stamps out measles while cases grow in the U.S.
A string of measles deaths in the United States this week – two in states that haven’t reported deaths of this kind in more than three decades – is underscoring the divergent responses to the highly contagious virus in the U.S. and Canada and the resulting outcomes.
Both countries have faced widespread and deadly measles cases that have sickened thousands, fuelled by growing pockets of unvaccinated individuals, particularly in Mennonite communities. But Canada has managed to do what the U.S. hasn’t: Put an end to the outbreak.
Down south the situation is growing worse, with three deaths announced this week. On Thursday, health officials in Wisconsin reported an infant death, the first measles-related fatality in the state since 1990. It followed the deaths of a seven-month-old in New York – another first in 30 years – and a Pennsylvania resident.
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Moderna’s mRNA flu and flu-COVID combo vaccines have been approved by Health Canada
Canada is 1st country to authorize both vaccines, company said
Health Canada has authorized Moderna’s mRNA vaccine for influenza, as well as its combination mRNA vaccine for flu and COVID-19.
Both are approved for adults 50 years of age and older.
Moderna told The Canadian Press they will not hit pharmacies in time for this respiratory virus season.
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Enemies of Public Health Care Roost in Toronto
US dark money-backed groups gather today to hone their attack on Canada’s medicare.
Canadian medicare is under attack. Nefarious legislation, insufficient funding and weak leadership are causing this country’s once-cherished public health-care system increasingly to buckle. This week, U.S. dark money-funded think tanks are holding a conference on how to break it permanently.
Jointly organized by SecondStreet.org, the Canadian Constitution Foundation and the Montreal Economic Institute, the two-day event set to begin today at the exclusive Albany Club in Toronto is rather innocuously titled “The Future of Health-Care Reform.”
In reality, the event is both a showcase for privatization and a strategy discussion for importing U.S.-style, two-tier health care into Canada. For these special interests the intent is clear: “reform” means ruin.
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Opinion: New government must halt NDP changes to ‘lifeline’ of care for people with long COVID
Opinion: Group medical visits play a key role in reducing the burden of care on other parts of the health system. Restricting them will not reduce demand for care but will harm patients and strain health systems
On Sept. 24, two days after the provincial election was called, the Medical Services Commission signed off on changes that restrict virtual “group medical visits” to 30 patients, down from 50, effective Nov. 1. Patient advocates have noted that this change will reduce access to care for people with many chronic health conditions. It also directly contradicts the recommendations from our research with people with long COVID.
With a new provincial government set to take its seat in the legislature, an immediate task of the new minister of health should be to review and revise the proposed changes to ensure they do not restrict patient care.
Over the past four years, we have engaged with people with long COVID to better understand barriers to health care. An estimated 36 per cent of people worldwide develop long COVID after a COVID infection, and B.C. Centre for Disease Control data from 2022 identified over 327,000 people with long COVID in B.C. Our survey, conducted in 2025 with 621 people with long COVID across Canada, found that 60 per cent of B.C.-based respondents accessed group medical visits, with many noting this was the only form of care available to them.
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Masking is mandatory at N.L. health facilities, after uptick in respiratory illnesses and outbreaks
The new rule is due to an increase of respiratory illnesses and outbreaks across facilities, says NLHS
Masks will soon be mandatory at Newfoundland and Labrador health-care facilities again.
The province’s health authority says the mask mandate, effective at 8 A.M. Nov. 4, is necessary due to “an increase in respiratory illnesses and outbreaks across Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services (NLHS) facilities.”
NLHS says the decision is based on “current epidemiology, vaccination rates, and the health authority’s capacity to provide care during increased respiratory illness.”
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Flu season has arrived earlier than normal: Nova Scotia Health again requires masking at all facilities
So far, 233 cases of influenza have been reported for this flu season.
Masks are now mandatory at all Nova Scotia Health facilities as influenza cases start to climb earlier than normal, the health authority announced Tuesday.
This includes all hospitals, emergency rooms, Nova Scotia Health clinics, long-term care facilities and health homes.
The mandate comes a month earlier than last year.
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EU representative praises closer work with Canada on vaccines as U.S. pulls back
OTTAWA – The European Union is working more closely with Canada on creating, stockpiling and researching vaccines as the United States pulls back, says a senior official from Brussels.
“Our production, research and development capabilities, and how we communicate about our existing (vaccine) stock, are extremely sensitive matters,” European Crisis Management Commissioner Hadja Lahbib said in a French-language interview Monday in Ottawa.
“Canada is the only country outside the European Union with which we do this.”
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Masks encouraged at all Health P.E.I. facilities starting Oct. 16
Masks will be available at entrances to Health P.E.I. facilities
In response to increased respiratory illness activity across the province, Health P.E.I. is implementing a masking policy in its facilities starting Friday.
Members of the public will be asked to wear a mask when within two metres of a patient. Masking will also be encouraged in hallways of acute care settings.
Health P.E.I. said in a release that the move is for continued patient safety.
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B.C. flu and COVID vaccine rollout is too little, too late
Where are B.C.’s vaccines?
Influenza A and COVID are already spreading. Another flu season in B.C., another round of vaccination arriving too late.
Last week, the Provincial Health Officer finally announced that flu vaccination for the higher risk population will start on Oct. 13. Thereafter the general public will be receiving vaccination notifications until early November.
Of course, Dr. Bonnie Henry is well aware that it takes another two weeks after vaccination for full antibody protection to develop.
Vaccination will then happen after many families will have gathered for Thanksgiving dinner with perhaps one or more uninvited guests floating in the air such as influenza A and COVID.
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Flu vaccine: appointments are now available in Quebec
The flu has already returned to Quebec, where the season is expected to be early. Again this year, Quebecers will be able to get a flu vaccine in pharmacies, in clinics, and in certain RPAs (private residences for seniors).
Appointments can be booked starting today (October 13) on the Clic Santé platform (new window) or via the websites of private pharmacies. Vaccinations will begin on October 20.
This year, the vaccine will only be offered free of charge to those who are the most vulnerable to the flu (see the table below).
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Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations underway in B.C. as respiratory illness season arrives early
An early peak in flu season is being driven by the H1N1 strain, according to the BCCDC
B.C. has launched its annual fall immunization campaign amid an early start to the cold and flu season.
New this year, the province will be offering an enhanced flu shot and an immunization for RSV for seniors.
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control said the early rise in cases is predominantly being driven by this year’s flu strain — H1N1, or influenza A — which is known to peak earlier and cause more severe illness.
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Beginning immunizations for viral respiratory season
People encouraged to protect themselves, loved ones from influenza, COVID-19, other viral illnesses
Summary
- Vaccines are available for influenza and COVID-19
- Notifications began for priority populations on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, and appointments will start as early as Tuesday, Oct. 13
- Notifications will continue and will expand to the general population through early November 2026
- New this year: Seniors 75+ and Indigenous people 60+ are eligible for the RSV vaccine
Topic: SaskatchewanView all posts for the topic: Saskatchewan
Sask. opens flu and COVID immunization bookings as sickness circulates
Too early to know how bad flu and COVID season may be, health officer says
Saskatchewan has opened bookings for flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
The flu has been circulating this past month, with some parts of the country experiencing an early start to flu season. Health Canada reported 815 confirmed influenza cases for the week ending Sept. 26, compared to 291 in the week ending Sept. 5.
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In 2026-2027, three COVID-19 vaccines will be available in Canada: the Moderna Spikevax, Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty, and Sanofi Nuvaxovid vaccines. In most provinces/territories, all three vaccines will be available via publicly funded programs. Limited quantities of the free doses of the Nuvaxovid vaccine will be available. Only vaccines that Health Canada has approved for use will be administered.
The Nuvaxovid (formerly Novavax) COVID-19 vaccine will be available in the Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Learn more about the availability of COVID-19 vaccines in Canada
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