Outbreak Management Resources
Outbreak Management Guidelines
Ministry of Health Guidance
Originally published in October 2024, the Ontario Ministry of Health has provided the guidance document Recommendations for Outbreak Prevention and Control in Institutions and Congregate Living Settings (en Francais). While primarily created for public health unit (PHU) use, the guide is also valuable for use by the institutions and other facilities to whom PHUs provide service. From the How to Use This Guide section of the document:
- Institutions (including long-term care homes (LTCHs) and retirement homes (RHs) can use this document for guidance purposes to inform their policies and procedures regarding the prevention and management of outbreaks. Due to the wide-ranging nature of institutions, not all information under each section will apply to every setting. The user fulfilling a specific role can determine which guidance is applicable to their setting.
- Note: Settings should ensure they follow sector-specific requirements/guidance.
Summary of changes for February 2025 revision include:
- Replacing the term “isolation” with Additional Precautions
- Updated links throughout document
- Language added to highlight syndromic case definition for those facilities that don’t have access to testing (ie: lower-risk settings that are not LTCHs/RHs)
- Appendices D & E removed (they were specific to COVID-19 and were kept from previous COVID guidance)
- Language added re: antivirals for influenza outbreaks (both suspect and confirmed) being covered if recommended by the PHU for Influenza outbreak management
- Antiviral flowchart titles in appendices and PTAC contact number updated
Outbreak Signage for Facility
- Additional Precautions Signage and Lanyard Cards – Public Health Ontario
- Facility Outbreak Poster #1
- Facility Outbreak Poster #2
Outbreak Control Measures Checklists
- Enteric Outbreak Control Measures Checklist
- Respiratory Outbreak Control Measures Checklist
- Managing COVID-19 Outbreaks in Congregate Living Settings Checklist
Line Listings Forms
Outbreak Public Health Lab Requisitions
- COVID-19 and Respiratory Virus Test Requisition (pre-filled)
- COVID-19 and Respiratory Virus Test Requisition (blank)
- Enteric Requisition (pre-filled)
- General Test Requisition (blank)
- Public Health Laboratory Services
Ordering Nasopharyngeal Swabs and Enteric Kits for Outbreak Purposes
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) Personal Protective Equipment & Vaccination Supplies Requests
- To order Virus-Respiratory/Influenza NP swabs directly from Public Health Ontario Laboratory (Ottawa or Kingston), please fill out the Requisition for Specimen Containers and Supplies. The kits will be delivered directly to your facility.
- Respiratory specimen collection kits can also be obtained from the Health Unit.
- Enteric Outbreak Kits must now be acquired directly from the Health Unit. Public Health Laboratories are no longer taking orders for Enteric Outbreak Kits directly from facilities.
- If you have questions about the ordering process, please call the Health Unit and ask to speak with someone on the Infectious Diseases team.
Antiviral Resources
Information about at-risk groups and antiviral use can be found in the Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada (AMMI Canada) document entitled: The use of antiviral drugs for influenza: A foundation document for practitioners.
Outbreak Status Report
The Outbreak Status Report notifies health care providers and infection control practitioners in our community of active enteric or respiratory outbreaks affecting facilities in our area (long-term care homes, retirement homes and hospitals). Check back to see the pathogen that has been identified, and when the outbreak is declared over.
- Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Outbreak Status Report
- Ontario Respiratory Virus Tool – Public Health Ontario
- Flu (influenza): FluWatch Surveillance
Additional Resources
Flu (influenza): For health professionals – Canada.ca