health
From hearses to ambulances: New book traces P.E.I.’s history of emergency care
Did you know ambulance services on Prince Edward Island were once largely provided by funeral homes? Source link
Overnight ER closures coming to B.C. hospital due to staffing challenge
Mission Memorial Hospital in B.C.’s Fraser Valley is closing its emergency department during overnight hours from from Dec. 29 to Jan. 6 due to staffing challenges. Source link
5 people hospitalized in E. coli outbreak linked to Pillsbury brand Pizza Pops
The Public Health Agency of Canada is reporting a fifth hospitalization in an E. coli outbreak linked to recalled Pillsbury brand Pizza Pops. The federal agency says 23 people in seven provinces got sick with the bacterial illness after eating or handling certain flavours of the frozen snack between early October and late November. Source […]
IWK says more children in the Maritimes going to ER with flu-like symptoms
The IWK is urging people in the Maritimes to get vaccinated for the flu after reporting a big increase in the number of children coming to emergency rooms with flu-like symptoms. Source link
Holidays got you burnt out? Carve out moments of solitude, say experts
Between office parties, family gatherings and plans with friends, there can be lots of socializing crammed into the final weeks of the calendar. But experts say finding pockets of solitude can offer a reprieve. Source link
Death of dog after avian influenza exposure in Alberta marks second such case in Canada
A dog in Alberta died in November after being exposed to highly pathogenic avian influenza. It’s the second confirmed fatal case of avian flu in a domestic dog in Canada, with the first being reported in Ontario in 2023. Source link
Ontario nursing home air conditioning mandate saved lives, study finds
A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine has evaluated the efficacy of Ontario’s policy implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic that required all long-term care homes to have air conditioning in resident rooms. Source link
Alberta appoints new chief medical health officer, first in role permanently since 2022
Dr. Vivien Suttorp, who has been the lead medical health officer for the province’s South Zone, has been appointed to the role, the first to take on the job on a permanent basis since Dr. Deena Hinshaw was ousted in 2022. Source link
N.L.'s medical officer of health urges vaccinations as flu season begins early
Newfoundland and Labrador’s chief medical officer of health is urging residents to get a flu shot ahead of the holidays. Source link
Delays in gynecological surgeries putting women’s health — and lives — at risk, doctors warn
Long wait times for gynecological surgeries are putting many Canadian women at risk, doctors say. Surgical wait times vary across the country, but a 2020 study found that a gynecologist consultation alone can take up to four and a half months on average. Source link