Communicable diseases
Public Health has a mandate to reduce the burden of infectious diseases of public health importance. Our role is to:
- investigate all reports of confirmed and suspected cases of reportable diseases in the community and within institutions such as schools, licensed daycares, hospitals, long-term care homes, and retirement homes
- report cases to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and Public Health Ontario for on-going surveillance and identification of outbreaks
- inspect institutions, premises and facilities where cases or disease transmission is suspected
How the Health Unit supports local health care providers:
- Issuing Advisory Alerts to all area physicians and nurse practitioners, as required
- Managing cases and contacts. This includes providing:
- recommendations to physicians about treatment and chemoprophylaxis
- advice on required testing and specimen sample submission
- recommendations about infection prevention and control measures
- advice on immunization or immune-globulin to cases and contacts
- counselling for cases and contacts about disease prevention
Related information
- Reportable diseases
- How to report suspected or confirmed reportable disease
- Specimen collection guidelines (Public Health Ontario)
- Canada Communicable Disease Report (Public Health Agency of Canada)
- Canadian Tuberculosis Standards (Canadian Thoracic Society)
This item was last modified on May 20, 2025