Respiratory illness activity levels for Sudbury and districts available in new online dashboard

Today, Public Health Sudbury & Districts released a new weekly online Respiratory Illness Surveillance Dashboard for Sudbury and districts to provide information about local activity levels of respiratory illness, including COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The tool includes information about cases, and new hospitalizations and outbreaks, as well as COVID-19 detected in local wastewater.

“With increasing activity levels of seasonal respiratory illnesses, we are committed to sharing clear and timely information about our local situation,” said Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, Medical Officer of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts. “This online dashboard, alongside Public Health’s other regular online surveillance and reporting for respiratory illnesses, will help people make informed decisions about how to protect themselves and those around them. These efforts highlight our ongoing commitment to build awareness, offer practical advice, and deliver services to help protect health and prevent disease,” said Dr. Sutcliffe.

The combination of cooler temperatures and more time spent indoors can create ideal conditions for the spread of respiratory infections. While anyone can get a respiratory infection, the very young, those who are elderly, and people with certain medical conditions are at higher risk of complications. Public Health recommends that everyone over 6 months of age get seasonal vaccinations for influenza and COVID-19, especially individuals at high risk of illness-related complications or who are more likely to require hospitalization.

The Respiratory Illness Surveillance Dashboard will be updated every Tuesday by 4 p.m. (except on statutory holidays) and can be found on Public Health’s website at https://www.phsd.ca/health-topics-programs/diseases-infections/coronavirus/current-status-covid-19/respiratory-dashboard/. Public Health also publishes three times per week additional COVID-19 data online related to cases and outcomes, testing, outbreaks, vaccinations, and hospitalizations. A COVID-19 case epidemiology and vaccination program update is also published every Wednesday.

Public Health offers vaccination clinics throughout the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts for COVID-19, and some clinics may also offer influenza vaccinations at the same time. Certain pharmacies and health care providers may also offer COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations.

For more information about COVID-19 and vaccine eligibility, influenza, or RSV and the measures you can take to protect yourself and others, please visit phsd.ca or call 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).