Monkeypox Designated as a Disease of Public Health Significance
Monkeypox has been designated a Disease of Public Health Significance (DOPHS) as “Smallpox and other Orthopoxviruses including Monkeypox” under the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA). The change was effective on June 16, 2022.
Persons required to report DOPHS and/or communicable diseases under the HPPA are now required to report directly to the local Medical Officer of Health in accordance with the reporting requirements in the Act, as per routine disease processes.
Please see the following attached materials:
- Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) memo
- Ministry of Health, Ontario Public Health Standards Appendix 1: Case Definitions and Disease-Specific Information for Smallpox and other Orthopoxviruses including Monkeypox (June 2022). Refer to pages 4 to 6 for monkeypox case definitions and pages 7 & 8 for clinical evidence and presentation.
Reporting Requirements: All suspect, probable or confirmed cases, are to be reported to the Medical Officer of Health under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.7.
Reporting to Hamilton Public Health Services (PHS): To report suspect, probable or confirmed monkeypox cases, call Hamilton PHS Monday to Friday, 08:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 905-546-2063. Afterhours and on weekends, call 905- 546-2063 and ask to speak with the Public Health Nurse on-call.