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Drug warning: Increase in suspected drug poisonings (overdoses)

The Community Drug Strategies have received reports of an increase in the number of drug poisonings (overdoses) and unexpected reactions from the use of substances in the Sudbury and districts area.

While we cannot confirm the substance(s) causing the overdoses, this situation serves as an important reminder to the community that street drugs may be cut or mixed with substances such as benzos (benzodiazepines), xylazine, fentanyl, or carfentanil. Frontline workers warn that more toxic substances may be circulating locally. As well, with the recent closure of the supervised consumption site, persons who used to depend on that service may be at increased risk when using now.

An overdose occurs when a person uses a substance and their body is unable to handle the effects. As a result, the brain is unable to control basic life functions. The person might pass out, stop breathing, or experience a seizure. Overdoses can be fatal and non-fatal.

Prevent overdoses to save lives:

Opioid overdose symptoms include:

Due to benzodiazepines (benzos) toxicity, an overdose may last for hours and look like:

How to respond to an overdose:

Where to get naloxone?

For a free naloxone kit, contact The Point at Public Health Sudbury & Districts, Réseau Access Network, or ask your local hospital or pharmacy. Or, visit www.ontario.ca/page/get-naloxone-kits-free.

Be cautious if using drugs and please distribute this information widely to help save lives.

This item was last modified on April 2, 2024

Drug warning: Increase in suspected drug poisonings (overdoses)

The Community Drug Strategies have received reports of an increase in the number of drug poisonings (overdoses) and unexpected reactions from the use of substances in the Sudbury and districts area.

While we cannot confirm the substance(s) causing the overdoses, this situation serves as an important reminder to the community that street drugs may be cut or mixed with substances such as benzos (benzodiazepines), xylazine, fentanyl, or carfentanil. Frontline workers warn that more toxic substances may be circulating locally, including a potent orange substance, which is causing people to ‘black out,’ putting people at risk for harm, injury, or loss. It is important for individuals to avoid using substances alone. It is also important to stay with someone who has blacked out or overdosed to ensure their safety.

An overdose occurs when a person uses a substance and their body is unable to handle the effects. As a result, the brain is unable to control basic life functions. The person might pass out, stop breathing, or experience a seizure. Overdoses can be fatal and non-fatal.

Prevent overdoses to save lives:

Opioid overdose symptoms include:

Due to benzodiazepines (benzos) toxicity, an overdose may last for hours and look like:

How to respond to an overdose:

Where to get naloxone?

For a free naloxone kit, contact The Point at Public Health Sudbury & Districts, Réseau Access Network, or ask your local hospital or pharmacy. Or, visit www.ontario.ca/page/get-naloxone-kits-free.

Be cautious if using drugs and please distribute this information widely to help save lives.

This item was last modified on March 19, 2024

Student immunization record assessment activities begin at Public Health Sudbury & Districts

Public Health Sudbury & Districts (Public Health) is conducting its annual review of immunization records for students attending secondary schools in its service area.

The Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) R.S.O.1990 requires all students under the age of 18 to have an up-to-date immunization record or to have a valid immunization exemption to attend school in Ontario. As outlined in the legislation, Public Health must collect and maintain immunization records for students in its service area. Under the ISPA, the Medical Officer of Health can issue suspension orders to students who do not meet the requirements of the ISPA, preventing them from attending school until their records are updated.

To start the annual record review process, an immunization notice will be mailed to all secondary students in Grades 9 to 12 for whom Public Health does not have an up-to-date immunization record. This could mean that the student’s most recent vaccine records have not been received by Public Health or that the student is overdue for one or more vaccines. The notice specifies which of the required vaccine(s) are missing from the student’s record and how to update the information with Public Health.

Public Health will be working closely with local school boards, students, parents, and guardians in the coming months to ensure that immunization records are updated and that required vaccines that have not been received are administered and reported to Public Health so that students can avoid suspension.

“At this time there are about 1700 students enrolled in secondary schools across our service area who will receive a letter asking them to provide immunization information to Public Health,” said David Groulx, a manager with Public Health’s Vaccine Preventable Diseases team. “Students who do not have the required immunizations will be advised in the letter to get vaccinated and to report this information to Public Health. It will also provide a potential date of suspension for the student if the information is not received. A second letter will be mailed four weeks later for those who remain outstanding with the ISPA requirements, and the suspension will take effect on the date indicated in the notice if the information has not been received,” said Groulx.

It is anticipated that first notification letters for elementary students will be mailed out later in 2024. Catch-up clinic appointments will be offered by Public Health during the summer so that children can obtain any vaccines that they are missing. Parents and guardians of elementary students are urged to ensure their child’s immunizations are up-to-date and reported to Public Health over the summer months to avoid suspension.

Vaccines against diseases that are designated under the Immunization of School Pupils Act are free, safe, and effective, and protect against cases and outbreaks of diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, meningitis, pertussis, and chickenpox.

In Ontario, parents and guardians are responsible for reporting immunizations for their school-aged children to a public health unit. Health care providers are not required to report immunizations for their patients to Public Health.

Please refer to Ontario’s Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule (Ontario Government) for information about vaccinations your child can receive free of charge to have the best protection.

How to check or update your child’s immunization records

  1. CHECK: Check your child’s immunization record for any missing vaccines by referring to Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) (Government of Ontario).
  2. VACCINATE: Ensure your child receives any missing immunizations by making an appointment with your health care provider or with Public Health.
  3. UPDATE: Update your child’s immunization record with Public Health using one of the following methods:
    • Visit Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) (Government of Ontario).
    • Send an email to ISPA@phsd.ca (Public Health). *Requires consent to be used to send personal or personal health information.
    • Call Public Health at 705.522.9200, ext. 458 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).
    • Send a fax to 705.677.9616 (confidential school vaccine fax).

    Public health nurses are available to your answer questions by phone, email, and in person. Appointments for immunizations are available throughout Public Health’s service area during regular business hours. Weekend appointments may be offered in the coming months to better serve our communities, and updates about these will be shared with the community as opportunities arise.

    For more information on immunization requirements or exemptions, parents and guardians can call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200, ext. 458 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200), email ispa@phsd.ca, or visit phsd.ca.

This item was last modified on March 8, 2024

Planned website outage, March 1, 2024

Please be aware that our website will not be available during a planned outage on Friday, March 1, from 6 to 10:15 p.m. This outage will also affect our Check Before You Go! disclosure website. Thank you for your patience.

This item was last modified on March 1, 2024

Drinking water advisory lifted for the Town of Gogama

Public Health Sudbury & Districts has officially lifted the drinking water advisory that came into effect Monday, October 9, 2023 for residents of the Town of Gogama.

Public Health issued the drinking water advisory because of a temporary loss of pressure in the municipal water system. The water has been tested to ensure its safety.

“The bacteriological quality of the water supply has been tested with no adverse results being reported,” said Burgess Hawkins, a manager in the Public Health’s Health Protection Division. “Residents in the affected areas may notice chlorine odours and discoloured water.”

What to do after a drinking water advisory is lifted and before using the water:

For more information, please call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200, ext. 464 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200) or visit phsd.ca.

This item was last modified on October 11, 2023

Environmental Public Health Week celebrates the work of public health inspectors

Standing up to protect everyone’s health each and every day is the work of environmental public health professionals and the theme of this year’s Environmental Public Health Week, September 25–October 1, with the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI).

Public health inspectors across our service area —and Canada—work collaboratively with our partners to control disease, reduce or remove hazards, prevent injury, and help Canadians stay out of hospitals.

“The work of public health inspectors may not always be seen, but it is always there to protect you and your family,” said Stacey Laforest, Director of Health Protection. “Public health inspectors check your favourite restaurants, the public pools and beaches where you and your children swim, and ensure the water you drink is safe. We are very proud of our public health inspectors’ ongoing commitment and dedication to public health.”

The inspectors educate and ensure compliance with guidelines and regulations in a variety of program areas including, but not limited to, recreational water, infectious diseases and infection control, food safety, safe drinking water, health hazard response, onsite sewage systems, and rabies prevention and control.

They use many strategies and interventions to prevent illness and premature death by reducing environmental-related health risks to members of our communities.

For more information about Environmental Public Health Week or the services environmental public health professionals provide, please call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200, ext. 398, toll-free at 1.866.522.9200, or visit www.phsd.ca.

This item was last modified on September 26, 2023

Vaccination opportunities: August 2023

COVID-19 vaccination

Public Health Sudbury & Districts (Public Health) recommends that eligible individuals in need of a COVID-19 booster dose consider waiting until the fall to get their vaccine, in line with recent recommendations released by the Ontario Ministry of Health. Doing so will provide greater protection before the typical increase of respiratory illnesses in the fall and winter months.

For anyone starting, completing, or re-starting a primary COVID-19 series, contact Public Health to book an appointment as soon as possible. Individuals can choose to receive their booster dose before the fall based on their own health status and personal situation, and in consultation with your health care provider. Before booking an appointment for a booster dose, please speak to your health care provider to determine if you should get your booster dose sooner than this fall. Booster dose appointments will be made available for those who have received a recommendation from a health care provider or Public Health.

Public Health continues to offer COVID-19 vaccination at its office locations this summer, by appointment only. Individuals can also check with pharmacies or their primary care providers for additional vaccination opportunities.

Vaccination opportunities for the month of August 2023

Public Health may occasionally need to cancel clinics due to unforeseen circumstances, including inclement weather events that impact clinic operations. In the event a clinic is cancelled, all clients with a booked appointment will be offered an alternate opportunity. Where feasible, some cancelled clinics will be rescheduled. For regular updates, follow us on social media @PublicHealthSD (Facebook, Twitter). Visit us online for up-to-date clinic details, including the clinic times and locations, vaccine type or routine immunization that is planned at phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics.

Wednesday, August 9

Appointment-only clinics

Thursday, August 10

Appointment-only clinics

Tuesday, August 15

Appointment-only clinics

Wednesday, August 16

Appointment-only clinics

Wednesday, August 23

Appointment-only clinics

Wednesday, August 30

Appointment-only clinics

Book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment

To book an appointment, please call 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200). COVID-19 vaccination opportunities are also available through local pharmacies or your primary care provider.

Clinic services

Sensory-friendly service (COVID-19)

Sensory-friendly services may be available, as needed.

Vaccine-to-vehicle service (COVID-19)

Vaccine-to-vehicle is a service available at select clinics for individuals who are unable to receive their vaccine within a clinic setting for reasons such as sensory sensitivities, decreased mobility, or other health concerns. An immunizer will come outside to the parking lot to provide the vaccine to individuals in their vehicle. Please note that during extreme weather or extreme cold that your appointment may be rebooked to ensure everyone’s safety.

Appointments for sensory-friendly or vaccine-to-vehicle services can only be booked by phone at 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200). The call centre is open Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and is closed on statutory holidays. Booking online is not available.

Questions about vaccination

Learn about Health Canada approved COVID-19 vaccines.

COVID-19 mRNA vaccines

All Public Health clinics offer mRNA vaccine brands—either Moderna Spikevax or Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty, primary series and booster doses to eligible individuals. Public Health clinics will primarily offer the bivalent mRNA vaccines at each clinic. The monovalent vaccines will be available in limited supply for the completion or initiation of a primary series for all individuals 6 months and older who refuse to receive the recommended bivalent vaccine.

The bivalent mRNA vaccines include two strains of the COVID-19 virus: the original COVID-19 strain and the Omicron variant strain. Evidence shows that Omicron-containing mRNA vaccines induce a stronger and more robust immune response and are expected to provide improved protection against circulating Omicron variants compared to the original mRNA vaccines. They also help restore immune protection that has decreased since the previous vaccination.

Eligibility

COVID-19 vaccines

In Ontario, for those 6 months to 4 years of age, staying up-to-date means you have completed the initial dose(s) of a COVID-19 vaccine. For those 5 years of age and older, it means completion of a primary series and receipt of the currently recommended booster dose.

Effective July 7, 2023, individuals 5 years and older should consider delaying receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine booster until fall 2023. As the respiratory season commences, receiving a booster dose will maximize protection against COVID-19 when peak circulation of the virus is expected. The decision to receive a booster dose prior to the fall may be appropriate for certain individuals based on their unique health status and personal situation. Individuals are encouraged to speak with their health care provider before booking an appointment in the summer.

Preparing for a vaccination appointment

All vaccination clinics have COVID-safety measures in place. You must not attend a clinic if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 or if you are in isolation due to a COVID-19 exposure.

For more information or if you have questions, please talk to trusted sources such as Public Health immunizers, health care providers, and pharmacists, visit phsd.ca/COVID-19, or call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).

This item was last modified on August 14, 2023

Swimming advisory lifted: Greater Sudbury, July 26, 2023

Public Health Sudbury & Districts has removed the swimming advisory signs at the following beach:

The most recent water samples taken at the beach by Public Health Sudbury & Districts are within acceptable limits of bacteriological water quality standards for bathing beaches. As a result, the beach water quality is once again considered suitable for recreational use.

Public Health Sudbury & Districts takes routine water samples regularly during the summer from 33 local beaches. For information about beach water quality, visit https://www.phsd.ca/health-topics-programs/water/beaches-splash-pads-pools-spas/beach-water-testing-results/.

This item was last modified on July 26, 2023

Drinking water advisory lifted for Capreol

Public Health Sudbury & Districts has officially lifted the drinking water advisory that came into effect Friday July 21, 2023, for residents of Capreol.

Public Health issued the drinking water advisory because of a temporary loss of pressure in the municipal water system . The water has been tested to ensure its safety.

“The bacteriological quality of the water supply has been tested with no adverse results being reported,” said Burgess Hawkins, a manager in the Public Health’s Health Protection Division. “Residents in the affected areas may notice chlorine odours and discoloured water.”

What to do after a drinking water advisory is lifted and before using the water:

For more information, please call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200, ext. 464 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200) or visit phsd.ca.

This item was last modified on July 26, 2023

Drinking water advisory issued for Capreol

Public Health Sudbury & Districts has issued a drinking water advisory effective immediately for all residents of Capreol due to a watermain break.

A drinking water advisory means that people who take their water from the municipal system should NOT use it for drinking; making juice, infant formula, or ice; cooking; washing uncooked fruit and vegetables; or brushing teeth. Boiling the water may not make it safe for drinking. For these purposes, water from an alternate source, such as bottled water, should be used. The water can be used for laundry and bathing (excluding small children who could swallow the water).

The City of Greater Sudbury advises that they will have the Water Buggy available, and residents can bring and fill their own containers.

When the City of Greater Sudbury  has re-established the water supply, residents should not use the water for human consumption until advised otherwise by Public Health Sudbury & Districts.

“It is possible that the loss of water pressure created conditions that compromised the safety of the drinking water,” said Burgess Hawkins, a manager in Public Health’s Health Protection Division. “Until bacteriological testing of the drinking water indicates a safe supply, the drinking water advisory will remain in effect as a precaution.”

Public Health staff will continue to monitor the situation. Public Health Sudbury & Districts will notify the municipality when the drinking water advisory is lifted and residents will be advised.

For more information, please call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200, ext. 398 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200) or visit phsd.ca.

This item was last modified on July 21, 2023

Swimming advisory issued: Greater Sudbury, July 20, 2023

A swimming advisory has been issued for the following beach:

As a result of routine water samples exceeding the acceptable bacteriological water quality standards, Public Health Sudbury & Districts has posted swimming advisory signs to inform the public that the beach water quality is not suitable for recreational use at this time at Nepahwin Beach Park, Greater Sudbury

A swimming advisory is a precautionary notice that informs the public about specific risks to health and safety.

Going into the water when bacteria are present in high concentrations puts bathers at risk for infections. Illness can occur if swimmers swallow beach water; if water gets into their ears, eyes, or nose; or if it comes in contact with open wounds.

“We have enhanced our monitoring and will continue taking water samples,” said Jonathan Groulx, a manager with Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ Health Protection Division.

Public Health Sudbury & Districts will notify the public when bacterial levels return to acceptable standards for bathing beaches. For information about beach water quality, visit https://www.phsd.ca/health-topics-programs/water/beaches-splash-pads-pools-spas/beach-water-testing-results/.

This item was last modified on July 20, 2023

Heat warning extended: July 5, 2023

The Heat Warning, which began Monday, July 3, 2023, is being extended given the hot, humid weather in the forecast for the following locations:

Extended Heat Warnings remain in effect while the weather stays at 29 degrees Celsius or above during the day and 18 degrees Celsius or above at night or the humidex reaches 36 or above.

“Frequently visit or check-in on neighbours, friends, and older family members, especially those who are chronically ill, to make sure that they are cool and hydrated,” said Burgess Hawkins, a manager with Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ Health Protection Division.

Continuous exposure to high levels of heat can lead to dehydration and illnesses such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat fainting, heat edema (swelling of hands, feet and ankles), heat rash, heat cramps (muscle cramps), and even death. People who are at higher risk include, older adults, infants and young children, pregnant people, people with chronic illnesses, people who are homeless, people who use alcohol or illicit drugs, and those who work or exercise in the heat. Those who take medications or have a health condition should consult their doctor or pharmacist to determine if they are at increased risk from the heat and follow their recommendations.

Symptoms of heat-related illness include dizziness or fainting, nausea or vomiting, headache, rapid breathing and heartbeat, extreme thirst and decreased urination with unusually dark yellow urine. If you or someone in your care experiences these symptoms, contact a health care professional, friend, or family member for help. In emergencies, call 911.

Take precautions and stay cool during this time of high temperatures. Take a break from the heat by spending a few hours in a cool place, Drink plenty of cool liquids, especially water, before you feel thirsty to decrease your risk of dehydration. Avoid sun exposure by shading yourself by wearing a wide-brimmed, breathable hat or using an umbrella, and wearing loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing made of breathable fabric.

Public Health Sudbury & Districts offers information on beating the heat in apartment buildings, keeping your pets safe, doing outdoor activities in heat and smog, and keeping your children safe during hot weather.

For more information on Heat Warnings and preventing heat-related illness, please call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200, ext. 464 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200)  or visit phsd.ca.

This item was last modified on July 5, 2023