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Tag: Ontario

Topic: budget cutsView all posts for the topic: budget cuts

Public Health Agency of Canada cutting hundreds of jobs

Published September 4, 2025

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Published by: CTV News
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By Josh Pringle

Approximately 320 jobs will be cut at the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) as part of a “post pandemic calibration” at the federal department.

The Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed to CTV News Ottawa a review of programs will result in job cuts to align department spending with approved funding for the 2026-27 fiscal year.

“As part of PHAC’s post-pandemic recalibration and ongoing efforts to adjust to new salary allocations, the agency must focus resources on government-funded priorities. This means re-prioritizing and streamlining some programs, and in some cases discontinuing work,” a PHAC spokesperson said in an email.

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Topic: RSVView all posts for the topic: RSV

Ontario to expand RSV vaccine availability for seniors 75 and older this fall

Published August 27, 2025

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Published by: The Globe and Mail
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By Kelly Grant

Beginning this fall, all Ontarians 75 and older will be eligible for a free shot that protects against respiratory syncytial virus.

Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones is scheduled to announce the expansion of public coverage for RSV vaccines on Wednesday, according to a Ministry of Health release that The Globe and Mail obtained in advance.

Until now, the Ontario government only paid for the RSV vaccine for seniors who were 60 and older and considered high risk, such as transplant recipients, dialysis patients and nursing home residents.

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Topic: tick-borne diseasesView all posts for the topic: tick-borne diseases

Tick-borne Rocky Mountain spotted fever spreading in Canada

Published August 20, 2025

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Published by: CBC News
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By Emily Chung

Quebec has reported a case of the potentially deadly tick-borne disease Rocky Mountain spotted fever that was likely acquired in Ontario or Quebec. The disease was also reported in dogs in Ontario earlier this year.

Here’s what you need to know about preventing, identifying and treating the disease.

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First case of Rocky Mountain spotted fever confirmed in QuebecCloseup photo of an American dog tick, crawling on the skin of a person. Photo: Jerry Kirkhart. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
Topic: QuebecView all posts for the topic: Quebec

First case of Rocky Mountain spotted fever confirmed in Quebec

Published August 18, 2025

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Published by: Le Devoir
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By Florence Morin-Martel

For the first time in Quebec, a person has contracted Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a tick-borne disease that is potentially fatal, a doctor stated on Monday. The patient, recently infected in Estrie, has nevertheless responded well to treatment and has now recovered.

As milder temperatures favour the proliferation of ticks, we expect to see more and more cases in the coming years in Quebec, says Dr. Alex Carignan, infectious disease microbiologist and professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Sherbrooke. “It is concerning, because it is an infection with significant severity.”

The disease, which is treated with antibiotics, can lead to death if not properly managed. The first symptoms, which appear a few hours or days after a person is bitten, include a high fever, headache, muscle aches, and skin lesions in the form of small red spots.

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Topic: long COVIDView all posts for the topic: long COVID

Long COVID left her son with debilitating stomach pain. Why it’s an ‘uphill battle’ for so many kids to get treated

Published August 17, 2025

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Published by: Toronto Star
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By Kevin Jiang

When Rebecca Lewkowicz’s 10-year-old son, Ethan, first tested positive for COVID-19, the Toronto-based mom of two thought little of it — the boy had only minor symptoms, which went away in a matter of days.

She had little reason to suspect the mild infection in April 2022 would soon derail Ethan’s life trajectory and her plans for his future. Nor did she anticipate she would spend more than a year fighting for her son’s illness to be taken seriously.

“We were lucky because it only took us 13 months to be believed,” Lewkowicz told the Star. ”People (living with long COVID) go two, three, four years without being believed, and children even longer.”

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Topic: long COVIDView all posts for the topic: long COVID

Why Canadians with long COVID feel forgotten by the health-care system: ‘The pandemic still isn’t over’

Published August 16, 2025

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Published by: Toronto Star
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By Kevin Jiang

Parts of Tracey Thompson’s home are papered with notes.

Post-its and sheets of paper are pinned to her fridge and bookshelves, chronicling everything from doctor’s appointments to errands and upcoming tasks — physical reminders of what the 57-year-old says her brain can no longer keep track.

Five years after the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic, Thompson has become one of the faces of long COVID, her journey chronicled by numerous news articles.

“I understand why more folks aren’t willing to be interviewed because they can garner a lot of negative attention,” she told the Star. “While telling my story can feel repetitive and is often stressful, there are still folks who don’t know what’s wrong with them or what the risks are, so I feel obligated to keep talking.”

Her profile may be higher than most, but Thompson is far from alone.

Continue readingWhy Canadians with long COVID feel forgotten by the health-care system: ‘The pandemic still isn’t over’
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Topic: long COVIDView all posts for the topic: long COVID

Do you have long COVID? Here’s how to tell, and what we know about the condition so far

Published August 16, 2025

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Published by: Toronto Star
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By Kevin Jiang

It has been more than five years since the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet innumerable Canadians are still living with the consequences months or even years after their initial infection.

Much remains unknown about long COVID, or Post COVID Condition (PCC), despite the ailment affecting millions of Canadians and leaving thousands out of work. But as research continues to develop, scientists have gleaned some pieces of the puzzle.

Here’s what we know so far about what long COVID is, why it happens and how to tell if you have it.

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Topic: measlesView all posts for the topic: measles

Canada likely to lose measles elimination status as outbreak continues: expert

Published August 6, 2025

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Published by: CTV News
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By Pauline Chan

Canada is at risk of losing its measles elimination status as an outbreak that started in New Brunswick last year continues to grow.

Measles has been considered eliminated in Canada since 1998, and the country saw an average of 91 cases annually before October 2024, when the outbreak began. The designation means that, within a certain geographical region, there has been no sustained measles transmission over 12 consecutive months.

Since then, of the 4,394 measles infections nationwide, Health Canada data shows that most individuals were exposed to the virus domestically (94 per cent) and were not vaccinated (88 per cent).

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Topic: wildfiresView all posts for the topic: wildfires

What’s all this wildfire smoke doing to your health? Here’s what experts have to say

Published August 6, 2025

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Published by: CBC News
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By Heather Kitching

People who breathe air polluted with large amounts of wildfire smoke visit hospital emergency rooms more often for respiratory symptoms, according to a Canadian emergency room physician and chair of the Global Climate and Health Alliance.

Rates of heart attack and cardiac arrest also increase after a couple of days of exposure, Dr. Courtney Howard said.

“So don’t just attribute that feeling of heaviness in your chest to asthma,” said Howard, who works in Yellowknife and is president of the Northwest Territories Medical Association.

“If you have other risk factors for cardiovascular disease especially, go see your friendly local emergency department.”

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Topic: Ottawa-GatineauView all posts for the topic: Ottawa-Gatineau

Wildfire smoke blanketing Ottawa could linger into Tuesday

Published August 4, 2025

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Published by: CTV News
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By Ted Raymond

Environment Canada says a cloud of wildfire smoke that is covering the nation’s capital could hang overhead into Tuesday.

A special air quality statement is in effect for much of the region as smoke continues to affect most of southern and eastern Ontario.

“The wildfire smoke may persist into tonight and possibly Tuesday before finally easing,” Environment Canada says. “Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour.”

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Topic: TorontoView all posts for the topic: Toronto

First human case of West Nile virus acquired in Canada this year confirmed

Published July 31, 2025

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Published by: The Canadian Press
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By Nicole Ireland

TORONTO – The Public Health Agency of Canada says this year’s first human case of West Nile virus acquired within the country has been confirmed in Toronto.

The confirmation comes after Toronto Public Health said its first laboratory-confirmed case of the virus in 2025 is an adult resident of the city with no travel history.

The virus is transmitted to humans through infected mosquitoes.

PHAC’s West Nile surveillance report says that as of July 12, two other Canadian residents were infected this year while travelling outside of the country.

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Topic: air qualityView all posts for the topic: air quality

Toronto has some of the worst air quality in the world right now — and a new study says smog and wildfire smoke can damage your heart

Published July 14, 2025

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Published by: Toronto Star
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By Omar Mosleh

With the city once again blanketed in wildfire smoke, experts are warning that long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to higher risk of heart failure.

Environment Canada issued a special air quality statement on Sunday night due to wildfire smoke from northern Ontario pushing Toronto’s Air Quality Health Index to 10+, classified as “very high risk.” Poor air quality was expected to persist Monday and possibly into Tuesday.

The effects of air pollution on the heart are underscored in a recent study, which found that long-term exposure to air pollution, in particular fine particulate matter, was linked to higher levels of diffuse myocardial fibrosis, a type of heart scarring that can lead to higher risk of heart failure.

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Topic: TorontoView all posts for the topic: Toronto

Air quality alert issued for Toronto, GTA as forest fire smoke pushes levels to ‘high risk’

Published July 14, 2025

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Published by: Toronto Star
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By Allie Moustakis

Toronto and much of the GTA are under a special air quality statement as smoke from forest fires in northern Ontario pushes into the region, Environment Canada warned Sunday night.

The agency says winds are carrying smoke into the area, reducing visibility and pushing the Air Quality Health Index to 10+, classified as “very high risk,” early Monday morning. Poor air quality is expected to persist into Monday and possibly Tuesday, Environment Canada added.

Torontonians are urged to reduce or reschedule strenuous outdoor activities, particularly if you experience coughing, runny nose, throat or eye irritation or any other symptoms.

People aged 65 and older, pregnant people, infants and young children, people with an existing illness or chronic health condition and people who work outdoors are most at risk, Environment Canada says, adding that more serious symptoms such as chest pain or severe coughing should be treated as medical emergencies.

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Topic: OntarioView all posts for the topic: Ontario

There’s a tick population boom happening in Eastern Ontario

Published July 5, 2025

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Published by: The Ottawa Citizen
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By Elizabeth Payne

Eastern Ontario is at the epicentre of a tick population boom, and with it, health officials are reporting the highest levels of Lyme disease in the province.

So far this year, there have been 186 confirmed cases of Lyme disease in south-east and Eastern Ontario, stretching from about Prince Edward County to the Quebec border, including Ottawa, according to Public Health Ontario. That is more than half of all the cases in the province since the beginning of 2025.

By far, the highest concentration of the tick-spread disease in the province is within the large South East Health Unit, which includes Smiths Falls, Brockville, Kingston, Belleville and Prince Edward County, among other regions. With 132 cases, it has the highest rate of Lyme disease in Ontario.

Ottawa, with 41 cases, and the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, with 13 cases, also have higher-than-average rates of Lyme disease. Those reported cases reflect the climate-driven growth of tick populations across the area and heightened risk of Lyme disease and anaplasmosis, which are both spread by blacklegged ticks carrying bacteria.

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Topic: measlesView all posts for the topic: measles

Fewer new measles cases in Ontario, public health data shows

Published July 3, 2025

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Published by: The Canadian Press
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By Nicole Ireland

TORONTO – A Public Health Ontario report released Thursday suggests a continuing downward trend in new measles cases.

The health agency reported 12 new cases in the province, down from 33 additions last week and 96 the week before that.

Two more people were infected with the highly contagious disease in a northern region that includes Sault Ste. Marie and surrounding areas. That region had been showing the biggest increase in cases for a few weeks.

Meanwhile, four more people were infected in southwestern Ontario — the area that was hardest hit for months.

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Topic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia

B.C.’s premier says measles spikes across Canada a result [of] anti-vax ‘recklessness’

Published June 25, 2025

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Published by: The Canadian Press
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By Chuck Chiang

VANCOUVER – British Columbia Premier David Eby says the growing spread of measles across Canada is “the sadly predictable outcome” of the “recklessness” of anti-vaccination politicians.

Eby says the disease is “no joke,” given the potentially serious impact on those infected, and it’s preventable with two vaccine shots.

He told a Vancouver news conference that the focus for provincial public health authorities now is to make sure that people who are not protected receive full vaccination.

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Topic: AlbertaView all posts for the topic: Alberta

Measles ‘out of control,’ experts warn, as Alberta case counts surpass 1,000

Published June 21, 2025

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Published by: CBC News
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By Jennifer Lee

Alberta’s measles outbreaks have now eclipsed the 1,000-case mark and infectious disease specialists are warning the virus is “impossible to contain,” given the current level of transmission.

The province reported another 24 cases on Friday, including 14 in the north zone, nine in the south and one in the Edmonton zone.

This brings the total confirmed cases since the outbreaks began in March to 1,020.

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Topic: Ottawa-GatineauView all posts for the topic: Ottawa-Gatineau

Ottawa’s air quality among the worst in the world as wildfire smoke blankets the region

Published June 6, 2025

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Published by: CTV News
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By Josh Pringle

The City of Ottawa is experiencing some of the worst air quality in the world due to wildfire smoke on Friday, with the poor air quality expected to continue into Saturday.

A special air quality statement remains in effect for Ottawa, eastern Ontario and western Quebec, warning smoke is causing poor air quality and reduced visibility.

“High risk air quality due to wildfire smoke is expected over the area overnight. As smoke levels increase, health risks increase,” Environment Canada said in an updated statement at 5 p.m. Friday.

“Limit time outdoors. Consider reducing or rescheduling outdoor sports, activities and events.”

Ottawa’s air quality was rated 10+ or “Very High Risk” at 4 p.m., after a slight improvement earlier in the day. The Air Quality Health Index shows Ottawa’s air quality will be or 10 or “High Risk” tonight, improving to to “5-Moderate Risk” tomorrow.

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