Good afternoon Healthwatchers. 👩⚕️👨⚕️
Welcome to another edition of The Weekly Dose. These are the stories that stuck out to me this week, handpicked for their potential impact. Here’s what you should know:
Ontario to downgrade COVID's severity status and reporting requirements
The Ontario government is downgrading COVID-19 from a “novel coronavirus” to a “disease of public health significance,” limiting the kind of data that needs to be tracked, and ending public reporting of disease rates and case counts.
Why it's important: The change will significantly reduce admin burden on public health officials, but it adds to existing concerns about the adequacy of data collection as the province also winds down its wastewater surveillance program.
Under the new classification, only data related to deaths and outbreaks will be reported to the Ministry of Health and Public Health Ontario. Routine point-of-care test results will no longer be mandatory for reporting. Experts worry about losing key information, especially in light of the province’s decision to end disease surveillance via wastewater. Municipalities will now need to fund their own initiatives if they wish to maintain robust surveillance and stay ahead of outbreaks.
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Quebec placed strict limits on private nursing agencies. What happened next?
2400 PSWs and 800 nurses have moved from private agency work back into Quebec's public system since the implementation of a new law aimed at curbing public sector reliance on private healthcare staffing agencies.
Why it's important: The Province wants to end the use of private agencies in Quebec’s public healthcare system by 2026, effectively banning their use, except under emergency scenarios or specifically designated circumstances.
Since the adoption of Bill 10 last fall, 3,200 workers—out of roughly 13,000 working for private agencies—have transitioned back into the public system. However, remote regions are now experiencing service disruptions due to resultant staff shortages, something the government hopes to fix by deploying a mobile team of public sector staff to underserved areas. Meanwhile, private health agencies are legally challenging Bill 10, arguing it could harm patients as a result of service interruptions.
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Alberta town declares state of emergency after losing half its family doctors in a year
The town of Hinton, Alberta declared a local healthcare crisis after losing half of its primary care physicians to retirement in the past year alone.
Why it's important: With only six family doctors remaining in a town of 10,000, residents are facing significant challenges accessing primary care.
Mayor Nicholas Nissen stated that half the town's population is now without a family doctor. According to Nissen, the emergency declaration is basically a tactic to get the province’s attention. The town council is seeking $500,000 annually for the next two years to attract new providers. Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange says the province is expanding rural medical training and broaden the scope of practice for nurse practitioners, allowing them to fill the void.
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COVID linked to rise in Type 1 Diabetes cases
A new review published in Nature Reviews Endocrinology explores the scientific relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the onset of type 1 diabetes.
Following the science: The virus can infect and replicate in pancreatic β-cells, leading to structural and functional damage (recall that β-cells produce insulin). Pancreatic inflammation resulting from infection can also lead to autoimmunity.
Researchers in Sweden emphasized this week that it is well-established that viral illnesses frequently precede the onset of Type 1 diabetes. The group notes that the relationship is not unique to SARS-CoV-2 but also present in common respiratory viruses, though to a lesser degree. They observe that a 62% increase in T1DM cases among Swedish children from 2018 to 2022 coincides directly with the pandemic.
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New research shows extreme heat is worse for our health than we thought
Research shows increased risk of heart attacks and strokes due to extreme heat. Recent spikes are seen in pediatric ER visits in summertime, and high temperatures have been linked to impaired fetal growth.
Why it's important: With heat records shattering worldwide, the global death toll for 2024 is already concerningly high. Extreme heat is emerging as one of the deadliest issues affecting regions around the world.
This year, more than 1,000 people died during Saudi Arabia's hajj as temperatures soared to nearly 52°C, while India saw eight deaths in just 72 hours during its longest heatwave on record. Extreme temps exacerbate underlying illnesses like diabetes, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. And what’s the biggest risk factor for heat-related deaths? A lack of air conditioning in the home.
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Dental groups say it's the Liberals spreading misinfo about the CDCP, not the Conservatives
Dental association leaders refuted Health Minister Mark Holland’s assertion this week that Conservatives are behind their opposition to the new Canadian dental care plan.
Why it's important: The program aims to expand dental coverage to seniors, disabled adults, and children under 18, but dental groups have expressed significant concerns over the details of its implementation.
Association heads are supportive of the program’s goals but have serious questions about privacy, claims processing, and the program's rosy portrayal as entirely free without caveats. Holland suggested last week that associations oppose the plan because of a Conservative party misinformation campaign aiming to sabotage its success. He also claimed that 40% of dental providers are currently on board.
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And that’s a wrap!
As always, we're here to keep you informed and prepared heading into another week. If you have any thoughts on this week's stories or there are topics you’d like to see in future editions, don't hesitate to hit reply. See you in a week!
Yours in health,
Nick
Nick Tsergas
National Health News Editor
Canada Healthwatch
[email protected] | canadahealthwatch.ca