Infectious Diseases and Outbreak Management

Facilities and operators can access resources to manage outbreaks in long-term care homes, retirement homes, congregate living settings, schools, child care centres, and seasonal international agri-food workers settings. Early detection and timely implementation of outbreak control measures are essential in these settings to prevent further spread and infection to others.

York Region Public Health (YRPH) collaborates with health care professionals to prevent the spread of infectious diseases in the community.

Confirmed or suspected cases of Diseases of Public Health Significance (DOPHS) are reportable to the local health unit, as required under the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA) and associated regulations. Reports are primarily made by health care professionals, laboratories and administrators of hospitals, schools and facilities.

Recent Updates

No updates at this time.

Reporting Infectious Diseases and Fact Sheets

Important information on reporting a Disease of Public Health Significance (DOPHS) to York Region Public Health (YRPH) and infectious diseases fact sheets.

How to Report a DOPHS

  • Timely reporting of DOPHS is essential to control and prevent further spread of infectious diseases
  • If you suspect or have confirmation of a reportable disease or event, under O. Reg. 135/18, Designation of diseases and amendments under the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA), please report them to York Region Public Health:
    1. During regular business hours (Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.):
    2. For after-hours, outside of regular business hours (including statutory holidays), call 905-953-6478

For general inquiries, email @email

Infectious Disease Fact Sheets

Refer to Infectious Disease Fact Sheets for disease-specific information on prevention, symptoms, transmission, and treatment. This includes reportable and non-reportable diseases.

For details on how to report outbreaks in institutional, schools, and childcare settings and when to call YRPH, please refer to the section on reporting outbreaks.

Reporting Outbreaks

Timely reporting of outbreaks (respiratory and/or enteric) is essential for their control and to prevent further spread of infectious diseases.

How to report an outbreak:

If you suspect or have confirmation of an outbreak, under O. Reg. 135/18, Designation of diseases and amendments under the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA), please report them to York Region Public Health:

  1. During regular business hours, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., call 1-877-464-9675 ext. 73588
  2. For after-hours, outside of regular business hours (including statutory holidays), call 905-953-6478
  3. Fill out the Outbreak Reporting Form

For general inquiries, email @email.

Infectious Disease Information for Health Care Professionals

Health Care Professional Resources

  • Public Health Alerts - YRPH sends critical and time-sensitive public health alerts to health care professionals and clinics in York Region. Sign up to ensure you receive these important updates
  • Public Health Matters - YRPH sends out a monthly Public Health Matters e-bulletin outlining important public health updates, event information and resources to support you in your practice. Complete the subscription form by providing your email address so you can receive future e-bulletins directly in your inbox
  • Public Health Ontario - Test Information Index – A directory of resources that provides comprehensive instructions for laboratory tests performed by Public Health Ontario. This information is only for use by qualified health care professionals
  • Vaccination Information for Health Care Professionals – Find out how to order publicly-funded vaccines, return wasted vaccines, safely store and handle vaccines and report an adverse storage condition or an adverse event following immunization
  • COVID-19 – Information about COVID-19 vaccines and guidance documents
  • Lyme Disease – Lyme Disease is an illness that is spread through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick, also known as a deer tick
  • Measles – Measles is a highly infectious and contagious disease
  • Mpox – Mpox infection is typically mild and self-limiting, however, severe illness can occur in some individuals. YRPH offers mpox vaccine clinics for people who may at higher risk of infection
  • Rabies Control – Report all animal bites and non-bite incidents to YRPH. YRPH enforces mandatory rabies vaccination of dogs and cats and promotes low-cost rabies clinics
  • West Nile Virus – West Nile Virus can cause serious illness in humans. It can be passed to humans if they are bitten by an infected mosquito
  • Sexual Health and Blood Borne Infections – Information about our York Region sexual health clinic services, treatments and management of Sexual and Blood Borne Infections (SBBI)
  • Tuberculosis (TB) – TB is a bacterial infection that usually affects the lungs but can also affect any part of the body. TB is preventable, treatable and curable
Resources for Gastroenteric Outbreaks in Long Term Care Homes, Retirement Homes and Congregate Living Settings

The following section contains resources for facilities during the management of gastroenteritis (enteric) outbreaks.

Outbreak Management

Ministry of Health Guidance

Other Resources

Resources for Respiratory Outbreak in Long Term Care Homes, Retirement Homes and Congregate Living Settings

The following section contains resources for facilities during respiratory outbreak management.

Outbreak Management

York Region Public Health (YRPH) Toolkit Resources

Ministry of Health Guidance

Other Resources

School Settings

York Region Public Health (YRPH) works with schools and school boards to reduce the spread of infectious diseases in school settings.  Under the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA), school administrators are required to report a Disease of Public Health Significance (DOPHS), including outbreaks to YRPH. For details on how to report outbreaks in school settings and when to call YRPH, please refer to the section on reporting outbreaks.

YRPH also reminds all families to ensure all students catch up on any missed routine immunizations and keep up to date unless a valid exemption is provided. An Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) notice is sent to all parents/guardians to inform them of the requirements to submit their child’s up-to-date immunization records to YRPH. Please visit york.ca/Immunizations for more information and to book any missed routine immunizations

Resources

COVID-19 Resources

We encourage students, teachers, school staff and visitors to self-screen for symptoms of respiratory illness every day before going to school. Stay home if you are sick. For more information on COVID-19 and the flu, please visit york.ca/Immunizations.

Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Posters

COVID-19 Vaccine

Child Care Settings

York Region Public Health works with child care operators to reduce the spread of infectious diseases in child care settings. The following section contains information on infectious diseases and resources for enteric (gastroenteritis) outbreak reporting and management. For details on how to report outbreaks in childcare settings and when to call YRPH, please refer to the section on reporting outbreaks.

Enteric Outbreak Management Resources

Respiratory Resources

York Region Public Health investigates reports of probable or confirmed cases COVID-19 and outbreaks in the highest risk settings, including long-term care, retirement homes, congregate living settings and hospitals.

The following resources can be used when there are concerns of COVID-19 in child care settings:

Living Settings for Seasonal International Agri-Food Workers (IAWs)

The following section contains resources to help with the management of COVID-19 outbreaks in living settings for seasonal international agri-food workers. For details on how to report outbreaks in living settings and when to call YRPH, please refer to the section on reporting outbreaks.

For more information, visit the Farm Operators with International Workers page.

Outbreak Management

Ministry of Health Guidance

Other Resources

General Contact Information

Control of Infectious Disease (CID)

For non-urgent requests for CID:

Email: @email
Telephone: 1-877-464-9675 ext. 73588

York Region Public Health Vaccine Information Line

For issues or reports of any adverse events following immunization or general questions regarding vaccinations (all vaccinations, including COVID and Influenza). This information line is open to the public.

Email address: @email
Telephone: 1-877-464-9675 ext. 73452

Health Connection

For any requests related to inspections, IPAC or audits.

Email address: @email
Telephone: 1-800-361-5653

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