Northwestern Health Unit Public Health Alert – Increase in Cases of iGAS | 2026-01-29

Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) has seen an increase in invasive Group A Streptococcal (iGAS) disease cases in our region recently. Most cases have been identified in the Sioux Lookout health hub (including Northern First Nations) and Kenora areas, but are occurring around the region. Cases are being seen in all age ranges, with the majority in adults aged 30 and over.

https://www.nwhu.on.ca/public-health-alert-increase-in-cases-of-igas-4/

#OnObNWHU #NWHU #iGAS #GroupAStrep #Strep #GroupAStreptococcal #SiouxLookout #Kenora #Northwestern #Ontario #Canada

If you would like to follow a hashtag for a particular public health unit (or filter on it), here is the list of public health units in #Ontario and their associated Ontario Outbreaks account specific hashtag.

Clicking on the hashtag will also show you all posted outbreaks for that PHU.

Algoma Public Health Unit - #OnObAPHU

Chatham-Kent Health Unit - #OnObCKHU

Durham Region Health Department - #OnObDRHD

Eastern Ontario Health Unit - #OnObEOHU

Grand Erie Public Health - #OnObGEPH

Grey Bruce Health Unit - #OnObGBHU

Halton Region Health Department - #OnObHRHD

Hamilton Public Health Services - #OnObHPHS

Huron Perth Health Unit - #OnObHPHU

Lakelands Public Health - #OnObLLPH

Lambton Public Health - #OnObLPHU

Middlesex-London Health Unit - #OnObMLHU

Niagara Region Public Health Department - #OnObHRPH

North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit - #OnObNBPS

Northeastern Public Health - #OnObNEPH

Northwestern Health Unit - #OnObNWHU

Northwestern Public Health Unit Alert:
Increase in Invasive Pneumococcal Disease (IPD)

An increase in the number of cases of IPD in the Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) catchment area was noted in late winter and early spring. The rate of invasive pneumococcal disease is 3x higher in NWHU catchment area than Ontario as a whole.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a type of bacteria that can cause infections in different parts of the body, including sinuses, ear, lungs, bloodstream, and brain. When it infects the bloodstream and brain, it is called Invasive Pneumococcal Disease (IPD), which can lead to brain damage, blood stream infections, or even death.

https://www.nwhu.on.ca/media-releases/increase-in-invasive-pneumococcal-disease-ipd/

#OnObNWHU #NWHU #IPD #Northwestern #Ontario