- Case counts (2016-2025), population estimates (2016-2023), & population projections (2024-2025): Public Health Ontario.
- Query: Case counts of reportable diseases by public health unit and year. Toronto, ON: Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion; extracted on March 9, 2026.
Polio
Polio, or poliomyelitis, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Most people who get infected will not have any symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they can range from minor symptoms like fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, to severe symptoms of muscles pain, stiffness, paralysis and meningitis. Poliovirus is spread from person to person mainly by contact with secretions or stool from an infected person.
Local Information
2025 Statistics
Incidence rate is the number of new cases of disease divided by the number of persons at risk for the disease during a particular time period.
Cases:
0*
Incidence rate per 100,000 in 2025: 0
*Includes confirmed cases in 2025.
Incidence rate per 100,000 of poliomyelitis, acute by year
More information about poliomyelitis
Report to the Health Unit immediately by fax (705-482-0670) and phone at 705-474-1400 or toll free at 1-800-563-2808, ext. 5229 if poliomyelitis, acute is suspected or confirmed as per Ontario Regulation 135/18 and amendments under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O., c.H.7.
After hours, weekends, and holidays, call 705-474-1400 then press 0 to speak with the answering service. The on-call CDC Public Health Nurse will get back to you as soon as possible.
Should one go to childcare, school, or work if they have poliomyelitis?
Contact the Health Unit. Exclusion needs to be determined on an individual case basis.
Follow the direction of your healthcare provider, public health case manager, or occupational health at your workplace.
Poliomyelitis is preventable by vaccination. Check your vaccination records or call the Vaccine Preventable Diseases program at 705-474-1400 or toll free at 1-800-563-2808, ext. 5252 to book a vaccination appointment or to obtain additional information.
Healthcare provider information
Infection prevention and control
In healthcare settings, individuals with poliomyelitis must be managed on contact precautions for six weeks after the onset of symptoms.
Public Health Ontario
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
There is no post exposure prophylaxis to prevent infection amongst contacts.
Contacts are:
- Persons living in the same household or having close contact with the case (example: sharing sleeping arrangements or playing together for greater than four hours) within 30 days before the case's onset of illness.
- Children attending the same children case setting as the case.
- Persons having contact with the stool or fecal matter of the case within 30 days before the case's onset of illness.
Once determined not to be infected with poliovirus, contacts should be offered polio vaccination as per the Canadian Immunization Guide: Poliomyelitis (polio) vaccines, where necessary. If the contact lives in a household that is different than the case, the contact’s household members should also be offered polio vaccination as per the Canadian Immunization Guide.
Ministry of Health - Ontario Public Health Standards
Public Health Ontario
Contact our Communicable Disease Control (CDC) program at 705-474-1400 or toll free at 1-800-563-2808, ext. 5229, or by email to cdc@healthunit.ca for more information.
Last updated: July 2026, by CDC