Latest news with #HealthUnit
CTV News
11-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Tips to stay sun safe while outside this summer
A woman helps a man apply sunscreen as they relax at Britannia Beach in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang Eastern Ontario's medical officer of health is urging people to lather on the sunscreen as they head outside this summer, warning exposure to the ultraviolet (UV) rays can lead to sunburns and cancer. 'The sunscreen is kind of your best friend,' Dr. Paul Roumeliotis told CTV Morning Live. Environment Canada says the UV index will be 7 or high today and Thursday in Ottawa, with sunshine in the forecast all weekend. 'It's quite important to recognize that, yes you tanned and so on, but there are dangers,' Roumeliotis said Wednesday morning. 'The truth of the matter is that exposure to the sun and sun burns produce cancer; you can get cancer 20-30 years later. So, the more you're exposed, the longer you're exposed it accumulates – the higher your risk. I call it being sun aware and sun safe.' Exposure to UV rays from the sun can lead to sunburns, wrinkles, skin damage, skin cancer, eye lesions and cataracts. The Eastern Ontario Health Unit says the people most at risk to UV rays from the sun are children, people participating in outdoor sports and recreation and outdoor workers. Dr. Roumeliotis says sunscreens are 'safe and will prevent cancer.' 'Sunscreen has to have an SPF factor. So what is SPF? Sun protection factor. We recommend 30 or over; what it means is if you apply it, you get protection 30 times longer than if you did not apply it,' Roumeliotis said. 'One thing we should be looking at as well is should not include PABA because that can irritate the skin. As long as the SPF is there.' The health unit offers several tips to enjoy the sun safely, including limiting time outdoors when the UV index is 3 or higher and between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Dr. Roumeliotis recommends applying sunscreen to all parts of your skin that stick out, including nose, ears and shoulders. 'Everything that is exposed to the skin. You should do that 15-20 minutes before you go out,' Roumeliotis said. 'The waterproof, you need to replace it every two hours. Especially if children go through the water, when they dry off reapply it because it will wear off.' Roumeliotis insists sunscreen is safe. 'There's no question that scientific research after research has shown if you don't protect your skin against the sun, the accumulation of those UVA and UVB rays can cause cancer,' Roumeliotis said. 'Skin cancer can be fatal. This is not anything to play with. Influencers or not, bottom line is sunscreens are safe and will prevent cancer.' Other tips to enjoy the sun safely this summer include:
CTV News
23-05-2025
- Health
- CTV News
New Medical Officer at Simcoe County District Health Unit
Lisa Simon has been named the new Medical Officer of Health at Simcoe County District Health Unit.
CTV News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
East Ferris council chooses new mayor to replace Pauline Rochefort
In a 2-1 council vote on May 13, Municipal Coun. Richard (Rick) Champagne was elected to take over the position for the remainder of the term. An undated photo of East Ferris municipal councillor Rick Champagne is shown. (North Bay Parry Sound Health Unit)
CBC
27-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
North Bay-Parry Sound Health Unit reporting 11 cases of measles
Social Sharing The North Bay-Parry Sound Health Unit is monitoring 11 cases of measles, all originating from the original case reported on March 7. Dr. Carol Zimbalatti, the acting medical officer of health, says she's not surprised to see an increase in cases. "Given that we are seeing the outbreak in Ontario and that we have seen decreasing measles immunization rates, I don't think this is surprising, however, it is concerning," Zimbalatti said. "Measles can be a very contagious and very serious infection, especially in young children and those who are pregnant." Zimbalatti said the health unit isn't expecting the 11 local measles cases to generate more infections within their district, as all known contacts have been addressed. She said the measles cases originated from someone who traveled to southwestern Ontario. Ontario's chief medical officer of health has linked the southwestern Ontario outbreak to a large Mennonite gathering in New Brunswick last fall. While Zimbalatti confirmed Ontario's larger outbreak is related to this event, she said she couldn't discuss any connection to the local cases due to the small population involved. She added that there have not been hospitalizations or admission to the intensive care unit related to the outbreak in North Bay-Parry Sound. "There is no evidence that those cases or their contacts are leading to increased risk to the population," Zimbalatti said. Unlike other health units that have published detailed exposure locations such as specific restaurants and stores, North Bay-Parry Sound public health has not released such information. "There haven't been any public exposure sites that have been identified. If we did identify exposures where the general public would be at risk, we would have been posting that information," she said, adding infected individuals are following isolation protocols and not visiting public spaces. Zimbalatti said individuals with suspected measles should be tested, but stressed that they should call their healthcare provider or hospital in advance. This precaution is crucial to prevent potential exposure, given that measles is highly contagious for those who are not immunized. Vaccination rates in the district She said there are high rates of vaccination against the measles in her district among school children, with 97 per cent of 17-year-olds and 92 per cent of seven-year-olds reported as fully vaccinated. However, Zimbalatti said vaccination rates for the adult population are less clear and likely lower. A 2024 report from Canada's chief medical officer of health suggests only 87 per cent of adults have received any measles vaccination. "We have seen increased call volumes to our vaccine preventable disease program, which is good to see that people are following the advice and checking up on their records," Zimbalatti said.
CBC
11-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
Local man in mid-30s diagnosed with measles, health officials say
Social Sharing As measles cases in the region and across the country surge, London's health unit has recorded its first lab-confirmed case of the highly contagious virus. A man in his mid-30s has been confirmed to have the illness, said Dr. Alex Summers, the medical officer of health for the Middlesex-London health Unit. He was exposed to measles outside of this immediate region, he added. "We received that report over the weekend and have been able to follow up with all exposed individuals to make sure that they're notified and taking appropriate precautions." The man said he was vaccinated against the measles when he was younger, but doesn't have vaccination records so health officials are still working to verify that information, Summers said. "Over 90 per cent of the cases of measles in southwestern Ontario have been amongst people who are unvaccinated. We will see periodic and sporadic cases even amongst those that are vaccinated but that represents a small number of people in the big scheme of things," he added. Measles — and disinformation about vaccines against it — are spreading 4 days ago Duration 2:44 As disinformation about vaccines continues to spread, a virologist and a pediatrician share the importance of getting vaccines to prevent the spread of harmful diseases like polio and measles. Measles can be fairly mild if a person is over the age of five and not otherwise immunocompromised, such as the local case, Summers said. "Complications of measles can happen in children under five or for those who are immunocompromised. That's where we see more severe things that can lead to people being in hospital." This is the Middlesex-London Health Unit's first case of lab-confirmed measles since March 2024. Other regions, including Norfolk, Elgin and Oxford counties, have had hundreds of cases in the last few months, most in unvaccinated children. "Measles is a remarkably contagious virus. If somebody is infected with measles, nine out of ten people around them will become infected with the virus unless they are protected through things like vaccination," Summers said. "It's tremendously contagious, which is why it moves like wildfire through susceptible populations, and that's why we're seeing outbreaks in southwestern Ontario. The good news is that we have a very, very high measles vaccination coverage rate in Middlesex-London." Two doses of the measles vaccine, listed as MMR or MMRV in most health records, provides nearly 100 per cent immunity from the highly contagious virus. • Fever, cough and runny nose • Red and irritated eyes • Small white, grey or blue spots in the mouth • Red, blotchy rash (which is the last symptom to appear) The Health Unit asks that anyone who thinks they have measles isolate at home to avoid spreading the virus to others. If medical care is required, people are asked to call ahead so health providers can take the necessary precautions in place.
