News

Dance event inspires thousands of local students to get active

Kingston, ON —Hearts were pumping and feet were tapping to the beat as 3000 local elementary students danced their way to better health at Fort Henry National Historic Site of Canada during KFL&A Public Health’s seventh annual Celebration of Dance event. To accommodate more students wishing to take part in the event this year, an additional 2000 students will participate in Celebration of Dance at Fairfield Elementary School on May 10, and another 1000 students at École Sir John A. MacDonald...

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KFL&A area among the highest for melanoma in Ontario

Kingston, May 1, 2017 - Today is Melanoma Monday. With data from Cancer Care Ontario indicating that the South East Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) area has the highest melanoma rate in the province, KFL&A Public Health is reminding residents to enjoy the sun safely by protecting their skin and eyes.

Data from 2010 to 2012 shows that people in the South East LHIN had more than double the number of incidents of melanoma in young adults aged 15 – 29 than in the province overall, and in 2012...

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[News]: KFL&A Public Health investigating second case of measles

KINGSTON – KFL&A Public Health is investigating a second case of measles in an unimmunised adult from the Kingston area, linked to a case that occurred locally within the last three weeks.  The fact that this second case never received measles vaccine in childhood is the key factor for acquiring this highly infectious disease.  The possibility of other members of the public being exposed to or acquiring measles after exposure is very low.

Others who are not immunised or who are immunocompromised,...

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[News]: KFL&A Public Health to Host Information Workshop on Opioids

Kingston - On Tuesday, April 11, 2017, at 6:30 p.m., in the Cafetorium at Loyalist Collegiate Vocational Institute (L.C.V.I), KFL&A Public Health is hosting an information evening on opioids for parents and caregivers to find out what they need to know to keep children and youth safe within our community.

Illicit fentanyl, a highly potent opioid, has been confirmed in our area in a variety of fake prescription pills and other street drugs, such as cocaine, crystal meth, heroin, and marijuana. ...

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[News]: Local Young Adult Quits Tobacco and Wins a wouldurather… Contest Grand Prize

KINGSTON – KFL&A Public Health, in partnership with the provincial organization, Leave the Pack Behind, hosted the annual wouldurather… contest for young adults in the KFL&A region.  The contest aimed to motivate young adults to quit tobacco for good, to cut back on their smoking, to party without the smoke, or to stay tobacco-free for a chance to win up to $5,000 in cash.  The six-week contest has come to an end and a grand prize winner has been selected!

Congratulations to Sandra Evoy, for winning...

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Robin Hood brand All Purpose flour recalled due to E. coli 0121.

Robin Hood brand All Purpose flour recalled due to E. coli 0121. This recall was triggered by findings by CFIA during its investigation into a foodborne illness outbreak. The CFIA is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products. If other high-risk products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through updated Food Recall Warnings.

Additional information is available on the Government of Canada website. 

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[News]: Imported Case of Measles in Kingston is a Reminder to Be Up-to-Date with Vaccines

Kingston - An illness in a person who recently travelled to South Asia is in fact a case of measles, Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health has confirmed.  The agency worked closely with local physicians and with Public Health Ontario Laboratory to identify and to confirm the case.  Measles is common in the part of the world that the patient visited, and poses a risk both to travellers to that area and to local residents when a case is imported on return to Canada.

“Being...

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Notice to Restaurants and Retail Establishments Selling or Serving British Columbia Oysters in Ontario

On February 2, Ontario’s Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health issued a public advisory* informing Ontarians of gastrointestinal illness linked to the consumption of oysters. 

Public health officials in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia continue to receive reports of diarrhea and vomiting, including confirmed norovirus illness, associated with the consumption of raw and lightly cooked oysters sourced from harvesting areas in British Columbia. The investigation of these illnesses is ongoing and...

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Do we really know how healthy our children are? New study finds important gaps in the health data for Ontario's children and youth

Kingston, March 9, 2017 - Researchers from local public health agencies in Ontario have identified important gaps in health data for Ontario’s school-age children and youth.  The findings are the result of a year-long research project examining the need for data of good quality to monitor the health of children and youth in the province of Ontario.  The study was funded by Public Health Ontario as part of the Locally Driven Collaborative Projects (LDCP) program, and organized by public health...

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ALERT: Potential Risk of Overdose from Counterfeit Prescription Pills

Kingston –Today, KFL&A Public Health is issuing an alert to warn residents about fentanyl contaminated counterfeit prescription medications and illicit drugs found in the KFL&A region. It is suspected that illicit fentanyl counterfeit drugs found in Kingston may have been involved in recent life-threatening overdoses. Toxicology laboratory testing will be conducted to confirm the contents of these drugs.Counterfeit pills can be manufactured to look almost identical to prescription opioids (i.e.,...

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