News

KFL&A Public Health extends heat warning for Kingston, Odessa, Frontenac Islands, and Napanee

Kingston — Due to high heat and humidex levels, Environment Canada has extended the current heat warning for Kingston, Odessa, Frontenac Islands, and Napanee to include today, Monday, August 8.

A combination of heat and high humidity can be hazardous to your health. Conditions during high heat and humidity have the potential to cause dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and in some cases death. Maximum temperatures are expected to be near 30 with minimum temperatures in the low-mid...

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KFL&A Public Health issues a heat warning for South Frontenac, Plevna, Sharbot Lake, Sydenham, Tamworth, Bon Echo Park, and Denbigh

Starting today, and continuing through to Wednesday, July 20, Environment Canada has issued a heat warning for South Frontenac, Plevna, Sharbot Lake, Sydenham, Tamworth, Bon Echo Park, and Denbigh due to high heat and humidex levels. Daytime high temperatures are expected to reach 31 degrees Celsius with humidex values in the upper thirties. Tonight's overnight low near 20 degrees Celsius will provide little relief from the heat.

A combination of heat and high humidity can be hazardous to your...

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First Case of Monkeypox identified in KFL&A Region

KINGSTON – Yesterday, KFL&A Public Health received the first lab confirm ed case of monkeypox in our region.Contact tracing efforts are complete and case management continues for this individual. The risk to the general public at this time is low.“Monkeypox virus has been circulating in the province for a few months now and we did expect it would arrive in the KFL&A region. There is no increased risk of monkeypox to KFL&A residents deriving from this case,” said Dr. Piotr Oglaza, Medical...

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Reminder to residents of safe food and water practices during a prolonged power outage

During a prolonged power failure, no electricity to your cold food storage, like your refrigerator and freezer, can be dangerous. Without refrigeration, harmful bacteria can multiply in food, increasing the chances that you could get sick if you eat that food. Water treatment systems may also not be fully working, and so water quality could be affected. There is a possibility that perishable foods could spoil, putting you and your family at risk of getting food poisoning.

Without electrical...

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KFL&A Public Health identifies the bacteria that causes Anaplasmosis in Blacklegged ticks in our region

KINGSTON – The bacteria that causes Anaplasmosis, also known as human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA), has been identified in Blacklegged ticks in the Kingston, Frontenac, and Lennox & Addington region.  Anaplasmosis, is a tick-borne disease transmitted to humans through the bite of a Blacklegged tick, the same tick species that transmits Lyme disease.

In the Fall of 2021, researchers from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa conducted active tick surveillance in Eastern Ontario,...

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KFL&A Community Drug Strategy Advisory Committee Calls for Decriminalization of the Personal Use of Drugs

KINGSTON – The KFL&A Community Drug Strategy Advisory Committee is calling for the decriminalization of people who use drugs. In 2021, the advisory committee endorsed a Statement of Support for decriminalization and is now advancing their advocacy efforts by submitting an online petition to the federal government.

The petition calls upon the Government of Canada to:

• decriminalize the use of drugs for personal use,
• support the provinces in their efforts to respond to the drug poisoning crisis, and

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Joint Message Addressing Increased Transmission of COVID-19 and How Individuals Can Protect Themselves and Others

This is a joint message from the South East Region’s hospital Chiefs of Staff and Medical Officers of Health

Kingston – The South East region is still experiencing increased COVID-19 activity with some communities noting record high levels of the virus.

In response the Chiefs of Staff at Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Providence Care, Quinte Health Care, Brockville General Hospital, Perth and Smiths Falls General Hospital, and Lennox & Addington County General Hospital; and Medical Officers of...

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Statement of Support from KFL&A Public Health’s Medical Officer of Health Regarding the Return to School

The Medical Officer of Health from Kingston, Frontenac, and Lennox & Addington Public Health has released a statement regarding the return to learning when COVID-19 public health measures are lifted across the province.

To all students, school families, education, and school transportation staff:

As of March 21, 2022, the provincial government is lifting the remaining public health and workplace safety measures. This means that masks are no longer universally required for students and staff in...

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National Day of Observance for Those Lost to COVID-19

March 11, 2022, has been designated as a National Day of Observance to commemorate the people who lost their lives to COVID-19, and to acknowledge the significant impacts of the pandemic.

“Today, we mourn the tragic loss of more than 37,000 Canadians, including 34 members of our community, due to COVID-19,” said Dr. Piotr Oglaza, Medical Officer of Health at KFL&A Public Health, “Over the past two years, our lives have been profoundly altered. Every single person has been affected by the...

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High Risk of Drug Poisoning in the KFL&A Region

KFL&A Public Health is warning residents that an extremely toxic batch of drugs is circulating in the Kingston, Frontenac, and Lennox & Addington area. Emergency services and local harm reduction programs report responding to an increased number of overdoses in the past 24 hours. Drug poisoning presentations include people losing consciousness immediately after consuming a substance and remaining sedated for several hours. Hasting Prince Edward Public Health also issued a warning regarding an...

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