Reporting an Outbreak (Child Care Centres)

A child care centre or daycare must report to the Eastern Ontario Health Unit when 2 or more children or staff are absent at one time with similar symptoms (respiratory or gastrointestinal) within 48 hours of each other.

Respiratory symptoms include a combination of any of the following: fever, cough, runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, sore throat, hoarseness, malaise, myalgia or loss of appetite.

Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms include vomiting and/or diarrhea, with or without fever.

If a child is sick at the child care centre, isolate or remove them from other children. Call the parent to pick the child up, and increase the cleaning of commonly touched surfaces.

Reinforce hand hygiene with all children at the centre. For hand hygiene and other infection control resources, click here.

To report an outbreak, call 613-933-1375 or 1-800-267-7120. Line listing forms are to be completed and sent to the EOHU on a daily basis.