Online Reporting of Respiratory Illnesses Made Easier

Timmins, Ontario — Starting this week, the Porcupine Health Unit is changing the way it reports local COVID-19 and influenza activity. This fall, when respiratory illnesses are more common, the PHU website will present a simple overview of COVID-19 and influenza activity in the area. The overview will show how active COVID-19 and influenza are (Low, Moderate, or High) and which way their activity is going (Higher, Lower, or Similar).  

“This new approach will make it easier to understand the respiratory illness situation in our area,” said Kendra Luxmore, Manager of Immunization, Chronic Diseases and COVID-19 Response. “Complete local and provincial activity levels can be found on Public Health Ontario’s Respiratory Virus Tool.” The tool provides information on COVID-19, influenza, and other respiratory virus activity in Ontario. Available data includes weekly case trends, laboratory testing, and outbreaks. The tool also contains additional COVID-19-specific data including outcomes (hospitalizations, deaths, and ICU and hospital bed occupancy) and COVID-19 vaccination and dose administration.  

Visit phu.fyi/respiratory to stay up to date on risk level and trends in our area. Updates will occur weekly on Wednesdays.

The Ontario Respiratory Virus Tool can be found on the Public Health Ontario website (www.publichealthontario.ca).