Report a Communicable Disease (Including Food Poisoning) – Health Professionals

Report a Communicable Disease

Contact the Toronto Public Health Communicable Disease Notification Unit

By telephone

• Mon- Fri, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.: 416-392-7411
• After hours, weekends and statutory holidays: 311 / 416-392-2489 (Outside Toronto)

By fax

• 416-392-0047

Physicians and other practitioners practicing outside of Toronto should report cases of diseases to their local public health unit.

Reporting Specific Diseases & Related Forms

• Communicable Disease Reporting Form (all diseases, except COVID-19, including food poisoning and Sexually Transmitted Infections)
• COVID-19 Reporting Form
• Report an Animal Bite Exposure
• Report Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI)
• Report Tuberculosis
• Report an Enteric or Respiratory Outbreak at an Institution
• Chickenpox (Varicella) Reporting Form
• Hepatitis B Hospital Neonate Reporting Form
• Report an Infection from a Tattoo, Piercing, Manicure or Pedicure

Your Obligation to Report Communicable Diseases

Under the Health Promotion and Protection Act, physicians, nurses and other practitioners including chiropractors, dentists, optometrists and pharmacists have a legal obligation to report a suspect or confirmed case of a reportable communicable disease to their local Medical Officer of Health. Physicians practising in Toronto should report all suspect and confirmed cases of disease to Toronto Public Health.

Why Reporting Communicable Diseases Is Important

Accurate and complete reporting of communicable diseases to the Health Unit is required for several reasons. The most common reasons include:

1. To detect outbreaks and epidemics,
2. To enable timely follow-up of communicable disease reports so that further transmission is prevented,
3. To facilitate the prompt implementation of appropriate public health interventions and educational efforts,
4. To help target prevention programs, identify specific subpopulations at highest risk, and to use resources efficiently,
5. To evaluate the success of disease control efforts,
6. To facilitate epidemiological research,
7. To contribute to provincial, national and international surveillance efforts.

More Information

• Provincial infectious disease data (Public Health Ontario)
• Historical surveillance reports: Email request to cdsu@toronto.ca