Effective May 1, 2018 “Reportable Diseases” are now referred to as “Diseases of Public Health Significance” under the consolidated O.Reg. 135/18 ‘Designation of Diseases’, which replaces O.Reg. 559/91: ‘Specification of Reportable Diseases’.
Other notable changes effective May 1, 2018 include the addition of Blastomycosis, Carbapenamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) colonization or infection, and Echinoccoccus multiocularis infection, and the deletion of Malaria and Yellow Fever. “Haemophilus influenza b disease, invasive” has been changed to “Haemophilus influenza disease all types, invasive”, and outbreaks in public hospitals are now included in respiratory infection and gastroenteritis outbreaks in institutions.
Diseases of Public Health Significance (DOPHS) must be reported by physicians, laboratories, administrators of hospitals, schools, and institutions to the local Medical Officer of Health (as stated in the Health Protection and Promotion Act). DOPHS can be reported to Hastings Prince Edward Public Health by filling out the Diseases of Public Health Significance and Reporting Form and faxing it to 613-966-1813. Patient consent is not required for reporting this information. The Personal Health Information Protection Act explicitly allows health care providers to disclose information to the local Medical Officer of Health for purposes outlined under the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
