Health

Nova Scotia has a deer problem—and a tick problem that rides on its back. Blacklegged ticks, the vector for Lyme disease, have made this province the hardest hit in Canada. Many of us know someone — a neighbour, a coworker, a child — whose life has been upended by this disease.

<iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-6001753/nx-s1-mx-6001753-1" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> An early ear trumpet on display at the New York Historical Society's exhibition of "Firsts. "

Do Tiger Mosquitoes Really Prefer Certain People? Tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus) don’t bite all humans with the same gusto. Some people might feel like they’re constantly being singled out, while those around them walk away unscathed. This isn’t just in your head: mosquitoes use a cocktail of cues to find their targets, such as the carbon dioxide you breathe out, your body heat, and the unique mix of scents on your skin.

Wellness Wednesday: Pressures of youth sports Greater Vancouver businesses share economic concerns in GVBOT survey

Parents supporting children with conditions such as ADHD, depression or substance use problems can face stigma from relatives, teachers, neighbours and even healthcare providers. Some people wrongly assume a child's mental health struggles reflect poor parenting, leaving caregivers feeling blamed instead of supported. A recent study highlighted by News-Medical found that parents may feel judged when they believe they are falling short of society's expectations of a "good parent. " The researchers interviewed 24 parents whose children had mental health challenges. "Parents often felt judged by relatives, teachers, neighbors, and health care providers," the report notes, describing how stigma can undermine parents' confidence and sense of identity. Some participants also said they felt isolated and looked down upon, adding to the emotional burden of supporting a struggling child. What Research Says About the Causes of Parental StigmaStigma can come from public stereotypes about mental illness, as well as from parents internalizing those judgments and blaming themselves.

Beginning Oct. 26, publicly funded COVID-19 and flu vaccines are available to the general public at primary care provider offices, participating pharmacies, and public health clinics. Area residents are urged to get vaccinated as Grey Bruce Public Health (GBPH) reports the area’s first laboratory-confirmed influenza cases of the 2026-27 respiratory illness season.

HealthA new AI-powered hub for health professionals aims to help identify alcohol-related risks and launch discussions with patients, including the link between drinking and cancer, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Wednesday. “Alcohol harm isn’t abstract,” said Dr. Carina Ferreira-Borges, the WHO Europe regional adviser on alcohol. “It can be heart and liver disease. It can be a baby exposed to alcohol before birth. It can be anxiety and depression. It can be a woman who develops breast cancer without ever being told alcohol was a risk.” The launch highlighted the widespread lack of awareness about alcohol-related health risks.‘Not an awkward extra’“We know screening and brief interventions work, but only if health professionals feel able to use them” she continued. “A doctor or nurse with a few minutes between patients can now ask the hub’s AI assistant how to ask about alcohol consumption and get an answer based on WHO evidence.

Travellers who passed through Montreal-Trudeau airport (YUL) last Friday (Oct. 9) may have been exposed to measles after a child infected with the highly contagious virus arrived at the airport. Montreal public health officials issued a warning following confirmation of the case over the weekend, identifying two locations where members of the public may have been exposed.

The chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), argued the Trump administration is not promoting vaccinations vigorously enough amid a massive measles outbreak that has claimed multiple lives in 2026. "My concern as a physician is that everyone should be vaccinated for measles," Cassidy told CNN's Jake Tapper. "And you may think it only affects me. That's not true because you infect other people. ""If I'm not protected, but you are, then I'm not exposed. I'm all about asking people to be immunized for yourself and for others," he added. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported Friday that U. S. measles cases this year had topped 4,000, with about 96 percent being associated with known outbreaks. By contrast, the agency recorded a total of 2,289 measles infections for all of 2025. About 95 percent of Americans infected with measles this year were either not vaccinated against the illness or had an unknown vaccination status, according to the CDC. During his CNN appearance, Cassidy urged Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the CDC to further push for vaccinations.

Open this photo in gallery:Helen Branswell, a Canadian medical journalist lauded for her coverage of infectious diseases, died Tuesday from complications from cancer. Christine Fitzgerald/SuppliedEarly in 2020, a little more than a month after reports of a new infectious disease began to trickle out of China, Anthony Fauci was a guest on a panel discussion in Washington about the emerging coronavirus. Fauci, who was at the time the director of the U. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, struck a reassuring tone.

On World Allied Health Professions Day, the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) celebrates the dedication and critical contributions of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) across Canada. NUPGE represents 450,000 workers, including the majority of Canada’s AHPs. NUPGE again calls on governments to formally recognize October 14 as Allied Health Professions Day in Canada and to go beyond recognition to invest in these professionals who are essential to providing quality public health care. Allied health professionals play a crucial role at every stage of care. They analyze laboratory samples, produce diagnostic images, help patients breathe, manage medications, support communication and mobility, and guide recovery. Medical laboratory technologists, respiratory therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, medical radiation technologists, pharmacists, dietitians, audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and many others bring specialized knowledge that patients depend on every day.

Health Matters: Ottawa to extend funding for mental health, addiction, home care services Pope’s lung cancer diagnosis spurring greater awareness advocates say

Peel Public Health inspectors ordered Lhasa Ink Tattoos to stop tattooing services. In another inspection, Tina’s Spa & Salon received a conditional pass.

Warning: It seems JavaScript is either disabled or not supported by your browser. Please enable JavaScript to improve your experience. The Honourable Joedy Wall, Minister of Health and Community Services, will participate in an in-person meeting of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Health in Winnipeg, Manitoba, October 15-16.

Meet Dr. Sonia Anand, 2026-27 Scholar-in-Residence at

Branswell joined the wire in 1986, first working as a reporter-editor out of the Halifax bureau. In the following years, she spent time in Calgary, Ottawa and London, England. She covered a range of stories and topics, including politics, foreign affairs and sports. In 2000, Branswell moved to the Toronto bureau, and it was there that she discovered her passion for health and medical reporting. She spearheaded coverage of the 2003 Toronto SARS outbreak. Branswell became a fixture at daily news briefings, never shying away from asking probing questions that helped readers better understand the emerging medical threat. “Her work was absolutely stellar,” said former CP health reporter Sheryl Ubelacker. “She developed all kinds of sources and she was really on top of the story and probably led everybody on that particular epidemic. She did wonderful work.”At CP, Branswell also covered bird flu, polio and Ebola and demonstrated a relentless dedication to the demands of the health beat. She wrote science-backed stories with precision and accuracy, Ubelacker said, but did so in a way that the average reader or listener could comprehend.