On December 29, 2025, Pembroke Regional Hospital in Pembroke, Ontario declared an influenza outbreak on its 3rd-floor Medical Unit, suspending general visits to that unit and allowing only essential caregivers to enter. According to Pembroke Regional Hospital’s outbreak notice, essential caregivers are asked to check in at the nursing station upon arrival and to wear a mask while on the unit.
The hospital’s Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) team has placed the 3rd-floor Medical Unit under outbreak protocols and is isolating the unit from other patient areas; the unit is a critical 40-bed inpatient hub for the region. PRH President and CEO Sabine Mersmann said the measures are intended to ‘protect the health and safety of all patients, staff and visitors, and to help reduce the spread of illness within the hospital.’
This 3rd-floor outbreak affects more than patient visits. With beds on hold until the outbreak clears, the Emergency Department may face longer waits as it holds patients who would normally transfer to acute care. Staffing levels are under pressure as staff manage outbreak-related duties, which can include enhanced cleaning, surveillance testing, screening and patient monitoring.
Influenza activity has been rising across the Ottawa Valley since early December, according to the Renfrew County and District Health Unit’s weekly outbreak report. RCDHU typically considers an outbreak over several days after the last new case (commonly cited as about eight to ten days). Caregivers and families are urged to stay home if they have symptoms, keep their flu shots up to date, and check the hospital’s website for updates on visitor policies and outbreak status.
