3 new measles cases reported in Manitoba
Two cases of the highly contagious disease were confirmed and one was ruled probable last week, according to the province's Wednesday update.
The data is up to Aug. 2. The number of cases reported by the province in 2025 to date has risen to 167 confirmed and 11 probable.
Measles cases in Manitoba peaked last May, when the province reported 72 confirmed cases. The province saw the second-highest number of monthly cases in July, with 47 confirmed and three probable.
There have been 4,394 measles cases reported so far this year in Canada, according to the federal government's latest update Tuesday. Most cases are in Ontario and Alberta.
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Ontario labour federation urges more worker protections as air quality concerns grow
A cruise ship sits off the shore of Toronto amid air quality warnings on Monday July 14, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young An Ontario labour group says it is advocating for more robust worker protections amid growing health concerns over poor air quality as wildfire smoke blankets the province with increasing frequency. The Ontario Federation of Labour, which represents more than 55 unions across the province, says the push is part of a broader heat stress strategy looking at how climate change is impacting working conditions. Its president Laura Walton said provincial regulations outline winter temperature benchmarks to protect workers from the cold, but there are no such protections from the heat or poor air quality. The federation is working with the provincial New Democrats to introduce a motion in the legislature this fall advocating for better worker protections amid increasing extreme weather events, she said. As part of that campaign, Walton said the federation aims to provide first-hand insight into summer working conditions. Over the next six weeks, it will place instruments in workplaces across the province to collect heat and humidity readings. The federation will also survey workers about their environments, including asking them about air quality advisories issued for the area. 'When we go to (the legislature) in November and people are like, 'Well, I don't know what the big deal is because it's freezing rain right now,' we actually have data to capture what was happening this summer,' she said. Environment Canada has issued numerous air quality warnings or statements in Ontario this summer due to wildfire smoke that drifts across provinces, with conditions often worsening in a matter of hours. Proper education about safe workplace environments is important so that workers know to ask for things such as air purifiers and proper ventilation systems to protect themselves from wildfire smoke, Walton said. Michael Lynk, professor emeritus of law at Western University and a former labour lawyer, said the more frequent air quality warnings should require unions to be more 'aggressive' in asserting workplace rights in the coming years. Unions are already starting to negotiate even stronger health and safety provisions through collective bargaining, which can include the right to shut down a workplace due to unsafe conditions, Lynk said. He added that joint health and safety committees, required in every Ontario workplace with 20 or more employees, can also be an important tool in advocating for specific safety provisions. Currently, he said workers have the right to refuse work if they feel unsafe in extreme heat or smoke, which can send a powerful message to employers to re-examine working conditions. 'Just the threat of possibility of (refusing work), which is lawful under health and safety law, is usually enough to encourage or nudge employers to take union concerns seriously,' Lynk said. A number of large employers in the province are increasingly considering the impact of heat and poor air quality on their workforce. The City of Toronto, for example, has a heat stress policy that includes provisions such as rescheduling work to cooler times of the day, if possible, and providing cool spaces for staff. The city also has an indoor air quality policy for office environments. With extreme heat and air quality advisories expected to continue in the future, Lynk said he expects unions to be firmer in what they negotiate, as well as workers to be quicker to trigger their right to refuse work amid unsafe conditions. 'They're going to be more diligent and more assertive in compelling workers to pay attention to this,' he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2025. Natasha Baldin, The Canadian Press
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More than 400 deaths linked to L.A. wildfires, researchers say
The deadly wildfires that swept through Los Angeles this year likely contributed to hundreds more deaths, say researchers calling for better health tracking in the wake of natural disasters. As Canadian communities from B.C. to Newfoundland battle flames and drifting smoke, new research from JAMA medical journal published Wednesday draws attention to the long-term health effects associated with recent wildfires in L.A. and Maui, Hawai'i. A total of 30 people died directly from the L.A. wildfires, according to the study. Andrew Stokes of Boston University School of Public Health and Finnish researchers now estimate another 440 people died from health conditions related to the blaze. Stokes said these could be people with heart or lung conditions exacerbated by smoke. Mental health impacts and delays in care may have also contributed. In total, 6,371 deaths were observed compared with 5,931 expected from previous data, for a total of 440 "excess deaths." The researchers acknowledged the data was provisional and unmeasured factors could've played a role. WATCH | Harmful toxins can remain in structures that survive wildfires: Harmful toxins from wildfires linger in surviving homes 7 months ago "Each of these statistics is an underlying person with family that's now bereaved as a result," Stokes said. Getting a sense of the true burden of health impacts related to wildfires, including cancers among wildland firefighters that develop years later, may help prioritize disaster resources, he said. Need for proactive approach More than 100 people died directly from the Maui wildfire in August 2023, which also left one in five people tracked in the study with lung damage up to 14 months later. Dr. Sonia Angell, a professor in the epidemiology department at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, called for better tracking. "If we are lulled into the idea that the impact that climate has on health is really during the episodes then we're really getting behind the eight ball," Angell said."We're really missing out on opportunities to improve health and to prevent illness and death." Angell said most people see extreme weather events like wildfires, hurricanes or earthquakes as extreme shocks in the moment. But he health risks don't end there. "Our surveillance systems need to be improved to be able to really understand the impact of climate and health, so that our health departments and our governments can be more proactive rather than reactive," Angell said. Angell gave the example of compromised lung function after a wildfire that needs medical attention, but may never have been included in the formal counts. Dr. Courtney Howard, an emergency physician based in Yellowknife who treats patients harmed by wildfire smoke, said a new approach to showing the longer health impacts of wildfire from wildfires is important. "Too many Canadians have now had the experience of living within a smoky environment," Howard said from near Osoyoos, B.C. Smoke exposure can cause headache, runny nose, throat irritation and cough, she said. Provincial health officials say severe cough, shortness of breath, heart palpitations and wheezing are less common symptoms. "I don't want to scare people, but what is absolutely clear is that wildfire smoke is toxic," Howard said. "It's very bad for our lungs and we need to be decreasing our exposure as much as possible." Vulnerable at risk Health Canada estimated up to 240 annual deaths and $1.8 billion in healthcare costs are due to short-term health effects from wildfires. This week, health officials from B.C. to Newfoundland have warned vulnerable residents, such as those over age 65, pregnant, young children, people who have underlying medical conditions and those who physically exert themselves outside for work or sports, that they're considered at high risk of suffering health effects from smoke. Residents in smoky areas are advised to reduce their exposure: Keep windows and doors closed. Limit outdoor and strenuous activity. Turn off or use recirculation settings on HVAC systems to prevent smoke from entering. Use portable HEPA cleaners to filter air in one area of the home. Stay cool. Check in and care for those who are vulnerable. Howard said years of more intense wildfires in Canada reflect the impacts of climate change from fossil fuel combustion and other types of greenhouse gas emissions. "We still, I believe, have the ability to emergently decrease those greenhouse gas emissions and get ourselves onto a different track."
