Vaccine-preventable illnesses on the horizon again as Canadian kids head back to school - CBC

Preventable infectious diseases continue to climb worldwide amid stalled progress with immunization campaigns, shifts in vaccine acceptance, and reductions in public health funding. In 2026, measles continues to spread in North America, with case counts already exceeding those from all of 2025. Hotspots include South Carolina, Utah, and Pennsylvania, which has confirmed five measles-associated deaths and surpassed 1,000 infections as of October 2026. According to new data from the CDC, U. S. vaccine exemptions—driven by personal or religious exemptions—are at an all-time high, after increasing 18% between the 2024-25 school year and the 2025-26 school year. The U. S. incidents extend the emergency that surfaced in early 2025, after an outbreak in Texas sparked the country's largest bout of measles in the United States in three decades and fueled a deadly outbreak in northern Mexico.

By Lee GriffiThe sick season is upon us. Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH) says COVID-19, influenza and other respiratory viruses are circulating in the area. Since the end of August, five respiratory illness outbreaks have been reported at long-term care homes in Huron and Perth counties. “The best way to avoid and minimize respiratory illnesses is with immunization,” said Dr. Miriam Klassen, medical officer of health at HPPH. “It is very important to stay up to date on the vaccines you are eligible for to protect yourself and those around you. Immunization is safe and effective.”All Ontario residents six months of age and older are eligible to receive influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, while select high-risk groups are eligible for RSV immunization. Long-term care and retirement homes are required to follow provincial outbreak prevention and management guidance. When an outbreak is identified, homes work with public health to implement measures aimed at reducing transmission and protecting residents.

TRENTON, NJ – State officials are urging residents to continue to take simple, proactive steps to protect themselves and their families from mosquito-borne illness. To date in 2026, the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) is reporting 26 cases of West Nile virus (WNV), including the State’s first confirmed death. Of these, 19 individuals have experienced neurological illness, and 69 percent of all cases have occurred in persons 60 years of age and older. Fourteen of the WNV cases became ill in the last week of August or in September, and several more cases are currently under investigation. Monmouth County has reported the highest number of cases (6), followed by Mercer (4) and Camden (3) counties.