Outbreaks and Infection Prevention and Control

Public Health works closely with hospitals, long-term care homes, retirement homes, and other congregate care settings to ensure infection prevention and control measures are in place and to help control outbreaks of illness and minimize spread to people who are most vulnerable.

Transfer Admission Assessment Flowchart Instructions (PDF)

Outbreak Line List

Use the links below to help prevent the spread of infection in your health care setting. This will help to protect patients and those who are sick to recover quickly and stay as healthy as possible.

Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Hub

Ontario Health has identified organizations including hospitals, public health units, and others from across the province to lead local Infection Prevention and Control Hubs.

Our responsibilities

Public Health’s IPAC Hub responsibilities include working in partnership with long-term care homes and retirement homes to provide guidance and direct support by:

• performing proactive visits
• identifying educational and training needs
• strengthening current partnerships and broker new ones
• hosting opportunities for networking and engagement such as community of practice meetings
• aligning local resources to meet IPAC needs within settings for prevention and response
• supporting the development of and strengthening IPAC programs and measures including proactive assessments, and policy and procedure reviews
• supporting in conducting IPAC assessments and audits
• working with settings in the development of outbreak management plan
• coaching and mentoring on IPAC practices