Current Health Issues

To support B.C.'s health care providers, this web resource has been established to provide a centralized, current and evidence-based source of current information about emerging health issues.

COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus)

Up-to-date information issued by the Provincial Health Officer is found on the COVID-19 page.

Monkeypox

• Notice of Duty to Report – Monkeypox

PHO CD Advisory - Monkeypox Update - July 6, 2022

• Additional Resources on Monkeypox

Information on clinical presentation, transmission, case management, diagnosis and testing, infection prevention & control, and treatment are available elsewhere. Here are some additional resources:

• BCCDC: www.bccdc.ca/health-professionals/clinical-resources/monkeypox
• BCCDC Public Health Laboratory: www.bccdc.ca/our-services/service-areas/bccdc-public-health-laboratory
• Health Canada’s website: Monkeypox for Health Professionals
• Specific testing details for Monkeypox: www.elabhandbook.info/PHSA/Test/PrintPageWithMaster.aspx
• World Health Organization: WHO monkeypox fact sheet
• USA Centre for Disease Control: Centre for Disease Control monkeypox information
• United Kingdom: UK: Guidance on monkeypox 

Overdose

• B.C.`s Public Health Emergency Progress Update on B.C.`s Response to the Overdose Crisis
  On April 14, 2016, B.C.’s provincial health officer declared a public health emergency under the Public Health Act. In July 2017, the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions was established, in part, to work in partnership to develop an immediate response to the overdose emergency. In December 2017, the Overdose Emergency Response Centre (OERC) was established to act as a coordination centre in the provincewide overdose emergency response and provide support to health authorities, frontline workers, peers, agencies and organizations and local, regional and First Nations governments. Regular progress reports outline action on B.C.'s public health emergency, identifying achievements to date and next steps underway.
  
  Progress Updates:
  • January - July 2021 (PDF, 1.1MB)
  • August - December 2020 (PDF, 874KB)
  • January - July 2020 (PDF, 962KB)
  • August - December 2019 (PDF, 714KB)
  • March - July 2019 (PDF, 607KB)
  • November 2018 - February 2019 (PDF, 392KB)
  • August/September/October 2018 (PDF, 497KB)
  • June/July 2018 (PDF, 208KB)
  • April/May 2018 (PDF, 297KB)
  • February/March 2018 (PDF, 605KB)
  • January 2018 (PDF, 661KB)
  • November/December 2017 (PDF, 320KB)
  • October 2017 (PDF, 301 KB)
  • September 2017 (PDF, 403KB)
  • May 2017 (PDF, 224KB)
  • One-Year Update - April 2017 (PDF, 465KB)
  • March 2017 (PDF, 272KB)
  • January 2017 (PDF, 321KB)
  • November 2016 (PDF, 450KB)
  • September 2016 (PDF, 532KB)
     
• Harm Reduction Services at Summer Festivals
  • Harm Reduction Services at Summer Festivals (PDF, 177KB)
     
• Service Delivery Framework: Registered Nurse and Registered Psychiatric Nurse Prescribing as a Provincial Overdose Response Initiative – February 19, 2021
  • Service Delivery Framework: Registered Nurse and Registered Psychiatric Nurse Prescribing as a Provincial Overdose Response Initiative (PDF, 853KB)
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• BC Overdose Prevention Services Guide - October 2017
  •  http://www.bccdc.ca/health-professionals/clinical-resources/harm-reduction (PDF, 972 KB)
     
• Letter to Parents and Guardians ~ talk to your youth about substance Use
  • Letter to Parents and Guardians - Talk to your youth about substance Use (PDF, 88KB)
     
• Guidelines and Resources for Supportive Housing Providers, Homeless Shelter Providers and Regional Health Authorities on Overdose Prevention and Response
  • Guidelines (DOCX, 2MB)
  • Communication from Dr. Perry Kendall, Provincial Health Officer and Lynn Stevenson, Associate Deputy Minister (PDF, 61KB)
     
• Responding to British Columbia’s Overdose Public Health Emergency - An Ethics Framework
  • Ethical Analysis of Pharmaceutical Alternatives to the Toxic Drug Supply (PDF, 189KB)
  • Ethics Framework for the Opioid Overdose Crisis Response (PDF, 149KB)
     
• Naloxone Risk Assessment - Non governmental Sectors 
  • ​Naloxone Risk Assessment (PDF, 372KB)