Diseases of public health significance (suspected or confirmed cases) must be reported to the Medical Officer of Health by telephone or fax, under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O., 1990, Chapter H7.
View or download the Diseases of Public Health Significance List
How to report by phone
Call the Reportable Disease and Outbreak Reporting Line at 1-800-265-7293 ext. 4752. After business hours, on weekends, or on statutory holidays, call 1-877-884-8653.
When reporting, include the following details:
- Patient/client’s name
- Date of birth
- Disease (specify if suspect or confirmed)
- Symptoms (list)
- Onset of symptoms
- Patient/client’s address
- Telephone number
- Specimens taken, if any
- Family physician‘s name and address of practice
- Name of person reporting, designation, and contact information
Public Health’s role includes:
- Investigating all reports of confirmed and suspected cases of diseases of public health significance in the community and in institutions (schools, licensed child care centres, hospitals, retirement homes, and long-term care homes).
- Interviewing cases and identifying contacts. Includes:
- Providing information on treatment and immunization chemoprophylaxis
- Providing information on testing and/or specimen sample submission
- Providing education about infection prevention and control (IPAC) measures
- Providing education on disease prevention
- Inspecting institutions, premises or facilities where cases and/or disease transmission is suspected.
- Issuing Physician Advisories and Outbreak Bulletins.
- Reporting cases to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for ongoing surveillance, identification of outbreaks, and determining sources or exposure sites