Medical Advisory: Network/Fax Outage & Interim Reporting
Please see below for important updates on reporting and communications with Hamilton Public Health Services during the ongoing cyber security incident.
Changes since the April 9th advisory include:
- New fax number for reporting rabies exposures, bites or other animal incidents during business hours and after hours 844-444-0678.
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New fax number for STI Medication and Vaccine Ordering 844-444-0709
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New operational Vaccine Records Line for reporting vaccine records 905-540-5250
Current Situation
- The City of Hamilton is continuing to experience a network outage related to a cybersecurity incident.
- 905-546-CITY (2489) phoneline is operational, Public Health Services phonelines and faxes remain nonfunctional.
Action Required from 9-April-2024 until the network outage is resolved
Reportable Diseases Please report any suspect or confirmed cases of Diseases of Public Health Significance or their etiologic agents specified in O. Reg. 135/18 Designation of Diseases under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.7.
For laboratories, please fax ALL reports of Diseases of Public Health Significance to 844-444-0295. In addition to faxing ALL reports of Diseases of Public Health Significance, please follow these instructions for reporting:
- During regular business hours Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm – fax or verbally report by phone diseases that require immediate and same-day reporting by calling 365-323-8170.
- After hours, Weekends, and Statutory Holidays - call 905-546-CITY (2489) to speak with the on-call Public Health Nurse or Public Health Inspector. Please follow the usual after-hours procedure for diseases that require reporting afterhours.
Contacting the Infectious Disease, Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) and Outbreak Programs to report outbreaks or for general inquiries:
- During regular business hours Monday-Friday 8:30am – 4:30 pm please call 365-323-8170.
- After hours, Weekends, and Statutory Holidays - call 905-546-CITY (2489) to speak with the on-call Public Health Nurse or Public Health Inspector. Please follow the after-hours procedure for diseases that require reporting after-hours.
Contacting the Sexual Health Team
During regular business hours Monday-Friday 8:30am – 4:30pm, please call 289-440-1849 NOTE: if you are attempting to submit documents with personal health information (i.e. surveillance reports), please send by fax to 844-444-0295. Do not send via e-mail.
Rabies exposures, bites or other animal contact incidents
- During Regular Business Hours- To report an incident during business hours, please fax to 844-444-0678. To request vaccine during business hours please call 905-977-8193.
- After Hours and Weekends – To report a rabies incident outside of business hours please fax 844-444-0678. To request vaccine after hours/weekends please call the City of Hamilton Environmental Public Health Inspector on-call at 905-546-CITY (2489).
STI Medication and Vaccine Ordering
- Please send STI Medication Order Forms and Vaccine Order Forms by email to publichealth.medorders@hamilton.ca or by fax at 844-444-0709
- *Please do not include any personal health information or personal information on the STI Medication and/or Vaccine Order Forms. When submitting order forms please include Initials, Date of Birth, and eligibility criteria of Client.
- Please send special order vaccine forms by fax to 844-444-0709
Vaccine Records & Adverse Events Following Immunization Reporting
- Individuals can report their vaccines online at http://www.hamilton.ca/vaccines
- Vaccine records can also be dropped off in-person at 110 King St. W. 2nd Floor reception Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm.
- To report an Adverse Event Following Immunization or Cold Chain Failures, call 905-961-5057.
- If you need to speak to Vaccine Program staff regarding reporting vaccine records, vaccine record interpretation, please call 905-540-5250 during business hours Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm.
For any Healthy Babies Healthy Children (HBHC) referrals
Please fax completed HBHC referrals to the HBHC Program 844-444-0629 or please call 905-546-CITY (2489) and ask to be transferred to the Health Connections phoneline to complete the referral Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm.