Latest news with #IsaacBogoch
Global News
6 hours ago
- Health
- Global News
West Nile virus is back. Where it's been found, and what you should know
West Nile virus has returned to Canada for another season, with detections in mosquitoes in multiple regions of Ontario in the past week, including in Toronto. Niagara Region Public Health confirmed Tuesday that West Nile virus had been detected in mosquitoes in Welland, Ont., while Toronto and York Region reported their first positive cases in the insects late last week. No human cases of the virus have been reported in Canada as of Wednesday, but that isn't stopping health-care professionals from urging caution. 'Nobody wants to get bit by mosquitoes, whether or not they're causing fever,' said Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious diseases specialist at Toronto General Hospital. What are the symptoms of West Nile virus? West Nile virus first arrived in Canada in August 2002, according to Infection Prevention and Control Canada (IPAC). Story continues below advertisement IPAC says the virus primarily infects birds and is then spread to humans by mosquitoes that have fed on the blood of those birds. Though no human cases have been reported in Canada so far this year, Bogoch said they are typically seen in mid- to late summer and into early fall. In those that the virus does infect, about 70 to 80 per cent may not even realize they have it, as they will have no symptoms. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy But those who do will typically experience symptoms like a fever, a headache, body aches, a mild rash and swollen lymph glands. The symptoms usually appear within two to 15 days after infection. 2:26 West Nile Virus due to spread to remote areas of Quebec due to climate change The Public Health Agency of Canada says less than one per cent of people infected with the virus will develop severe symptoms and health effects. Story continues below advertisement PHAC says people 50 years and older, those with chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease, and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of severe symptoms. In severe cases, people can face the rapid onset of a severe headache, a high fever, a stiff neck, nausea or vomiting, difficulty swallowing, drowsiness or confusion. PHAC says loss of consciousness, lack of co-ordination, muscle weakness or paralysis are also possible in severe cases. 'Rarely it can cause neurologic manifestations and that can be more severe,' Bogoch said. 'It can cause inflammation of the brain, inflammation of the area around the brain and spinal cord, a meningitis-type picture, and then it can also rarely cause a paralysis-type syndrome that's really reminiscent of polio.' Canadian Family Physician, the official publication of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, notes that three to 15 per cent of those with severe illness can die. 'It's extremely rare, but again it's no laughing matter,' Bogoch said. Mild cases typically take a week to recover, but PHAC says some severe cases could see a variety of health effects that could last months to years after illness. People who develop symptoms of West Nile after being bitten by a mosquito are urged to see their health-care provider immediately. Story continues below advertisement What can you do? The risk of becoming infected with West Nile virus starts in mid-April and lasts typically until the first hard frost in either late September or October. The highest risk period for humans is between mid-July and early September, with mosquitoes often most active at dawn and dusk. PHAC says when outside, people should cover exposed skin by wearing long pants and loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts, socks and a hat. People should also wear light-coloured clothing, as PHAC notes mosquitoes are attracted to dark colours. People are also encouraged to use insect repellents containing DEET or icaridin, which can also help prevent bites. The health agency says Canadians can also take steps to reduce mosquitoes near their home, namely by getting rid of standing water around their home and putting screens on their windows and doors. Story continues below advertisement However, while West Nile can be a concern, Bogoch says it shouldn't prevent Canadians from enjoying the summer, whether they're at the beach, at a cottage or enjoying summer camp. 'We should be outside and enjoying it as much as possible, because winter is unfortunately around the corner as well,' he said. 'But no reason to hide indoors because of this. Just go outside, have a wonderful time, be aware that they're there.'
Calgary Herald
15-07-2025
- Health
- Calgary Herald
Braid: Alberta hit by measles comparison with U.S., but all Canada is an epidemic in waiting
Alberta's measles outbreak is a big story, especially for people who don't like Alberta. We're painted as the national plague ship adrift on a sea of misery. Article content Alberta does have a very serious measles problem, some of it caused by the UCP government's ambiguity about vaccination. Article content Article content But so does nearly everybody else. Vaccination rates are dangerously low across the country. Escaping a big infection cluster like Alberta's is largely dumb luck. Article content Article content Dr. Isaac Bogoch, infectious disease specialist at the University of Toronto, says 'all across Canada, there are pockets of communities with lower vaccination rates. Article content Article content 'That's what we saw with the big outbreak in southwestern Ontario.' Article content Now, that's a story. Alberta has more measles than a country with 100 times our population. Article content The stated American number is almost certainly far too low. Vaccination rates in many states are below Canada's. Article content President Donald Trump is busily dismantling national standards and agencies. Who's counting as they lose their jobs? Article content Article content What matters is how we're doing here at home. And it's a dismal picture nearly everywhere, especially for children. Article content Here are vaccination rates by province for the crucial category of kids age seven or under: Article content Manitoba: 65.4 per cent Article content Ontario: 70 per cent Article content Alberta: 71.6 per cent Article content B.C.: 72.4 per cent Article content Saskatchewan: 87.4 per cent. Article content Bogoch says, 'Even if you add 10 per cent to most of those, it's still too low.' Article content Only Saskatchewan, the vaccination rock star, would pass the 95 per cent target for creating mass immunity and stopping measles cold. Article content Alberta vaccination rates rise with age until, by late teens, they're often over 90 per cent. But the most vulnerable are woefully under-protected. Article content In most provinces vaccination rates have fallen sharply since the years before the COVID-19 pandemic. Article content In Ontario, vaccination for seven year olds dropped 20 per cent during the pandemic period.
CTV News
12-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Legionnaires disease outbreak has sickened 40 people in Ontario. Here is what you need to know
This 2009 colorized 8000X electron micrograph image provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a large grouping of gram-negative Legionella pneumophila bacteria. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Janice Haney Carr) A recent outbreak of Legionnaires disease in London, Ont. is raising the profile of the bacterial infection, with some wondering whether it can pose a risk to the greater public. The illness, which is caused by Legionella bacteria, manifests as a severe form of pneumonia. Common symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Infectious disease physician Dr. Isaac Bogoch explains the bacterial infection lives in nature, which means it can be found in soil and water. However, he stresses that the illness doesn't spread from person to person and can only be contracted by breathing it in by way of human-made systems. 'This is usually acquired by inhaling the bacteria,' he tells CTV News. 'You get sporadic cases, but oftentimes you can get outbreaks. And the reason you get outbreaks is sometimes the bacteria can get into HVAC systems, water coolers and water towers.' How common is it? While rare, there have been cases of the illness spreading through indoor environments like hotels or offices, via HVAC systems, cooling towers or air conditioning. Data released by Public Health Ontario (PHO) in May showed that there were 363 confirmed cases of the virus in 2024, which was roughly in line with the annual average of 354. The rates across much of the GTA were all under 1.9 cases per 100,000 people. n 2024, the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) reported the highest rate of legionellosis at about 7.7 cases per 100,000 people. How is it treated? The infection is treated with the same common antibiotics used for pneumonia. When a case of Legionella is identified, there will be a public health effort to trace where it was potentially acquired. This is to verify if there are other cases and what potential common source led to the outbreak. 'If there are people in the same place like a shopping centre, hotel or church, that are all getting pneumonia, you can start to look for potential contaminated air conditioning, HVAC systems, etcetera,' Bogoch says. He adds that there currently isn't an outbreak of Legionnaires disease in Toronto. While the illness appears infrequently, Bogoch says it's also not uncommon for cases to occur. The risk of Legionella is especially high for older adults, smokers, those with chronic lung disease or anyone who is immunocompromised. When does it occur? Residents can be exposed to the Legionella bacteria at any point but Public Health Ontario says that most cases occur between June and September, with July seeing the largest volume of cases. PHO says that last July the positivity rate peaked at 6.4 per cent before trending downward. It says that the proportion of confirmed cases that resulted in hospitalization in 2024 was 76.6 per cent. About five per cent of cases resulted in death in 2024, according to PHO. What happened in London? The health unit in London, Ont., said this week that more than 40 cases of legionella have been confirmed within a six-kilometre radius, with one case resulting in death. The Middlesex-London Health Unit has said it doesn't know the source of the outbreak but still considers the risk to the public to be 'low.' 'Most people who are exposed to legionella bacteria will not become infected or develop symptoms. Risk factors for Legionnaire's disease including being elderly, immunocompromised or having underlying lung conditions,' a spokesperson told CTV News earlier this week. Why is it called Legionnaires disease? The name Legionella stems from when the bacterial infection was first characterized in 1976, after many people became ill during a Legion convention in Philadelphia, leading to an epidemiologic investigation.
CTV News
27-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Global childhood vaccination rates slowing down -- but why?
Watch Infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch explains what's behind the decline in children getting routine vaccination.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
No basis for claims Canadian measles outbreak originated with migrants
"MEASLES RETURNED TO CANADA BECAUSE OF IRRESPONSIBLE IMMIGRATION," says a June 8, 2025 X post. Similar claims about unvaccinated newcomers exacerbating the spread of measles circulated across X, Facebook and TikTok as infections escalated in the first half of 2025. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the nation achieved measles elimination status in 1998 once infections from the disease were no longer endemic (archived here). The 2,885 confirmed cases -- mostly among unvaccinated children -- that the country has recorded in 2025, and the disease's continued circulation, have since put that status in jeopardy (archived here). But there is no data to support the claim that unvaccinated immigrants are responsible for spreading the disease to and throughout Canada. In fact, provincial and federal data do not specify citizenship status when tracking measles outbreaks (archived here, here and here). The current outbreak originated with what the World Health Organization (WHO) called an "imported" case of measles that was transmitted during a large October 2024 gathering in New Brunswick province. Local health authorities said the event involved members of the religious, vaccine-skeptical Mennonite community from multiple provinces and countries (archived here and here). The WHO reports that only a small number of cases associated with the current outbreak have occurred outside the under-vaccinated communities that were initially affected. Measles infections in New Brunswick have slowed since the initial exposure, leaving Ontario province to become the epicenter of the outbreak with more than 67 percent of Canada's confirmed cases. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at Toronto General Hospital, told AFP the infections are concentrated in under-vaccinated populations, particularly among Mennonites in southwestern Ontario (archived here and here). Bogoch said he did not see a connection to immigration. "Travelers to the country import measles into Canada [...] but those numbers are dwarfed by the locally acquired cases we're seeing in southwestern Ontario, among this largely under-vaccinated Mennonite community," Bogoch said June 19. In Alberta, the province with the second-highest number of cases, it is less clear how infections spread. Some reports have pointed to importation from Ontario. The province's Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services, meanwhile, suggested the virus was also introduced by international travel. "With significantly more cases now being reported worldwide, we are seeing more cases here at home," a ministry official told AFP in a June 19 email. "This highlights the importance of staying up to date on measles vaccinations to protect both individuals and communities." Bogoch said measles is easily preventable by vaccination (archived here). But between 2019 and 2023, PHAC reported that vaccination against measles for 2-year-old children, one of the groups most vulnerable to the disease, declined from 89.5 percent to 82.5 percent across several provinces, including Alberta (archived here). Local media reported that under-vaccination in Alberta is driven by a mix of religious convictions and vaccine hesitancy stoked during the Covid-19 pandemic (archived here). Bogoch and the Alberta ministry official noted that even as Canada achieved elimination status, the disease continued to circulate in other countries where vaccination rates are lower. Proof of vaccination is not mandatory to immigrate to Canada. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), it may be impossible for individuals to present immunization records (archived here). IRCC spokesman Remi Lariviere said permanent resident and certain temporary resident applicants must submit to a medical exam and may be offered voluntary vaccination, including the shot for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). "(IRCC) routinely monitors health outbreaks occurring internationally to determine what, if any, additional public health measures may be needed to reduce the risk of importation and spread of communicable diseases in Canada," Lariviere said in a June 19 email. According to the most recent available data, Canada received the most immigrants from India, the Philippines, China, Syria and Nigeria in 2021 (archived here). India is one of the places where travelers to Canada were exposed to measles, according to PHAC, but WHO also reports 90 percent of people in India were immunized against the disease in 2023 (archived here). Seventy percent of people in the Philippines were immunized by 2024 (archived here). As Canada's previous pro-immigration consensus has shifted, AFP has repeatedly debunked misleading claims that blamed newcomers for lack of jobs and social and food assistance. Read more of AFP's reporting on misinformation in Canada here.
