Disease Outbreak

Disease Outbreak

Disease outbreaks can happen suddenly and without warning, posing a threat to public health and safety.

Quick facts

  • Outbreaks limited to a specific area are called an epidemic.
  • Outbreaks that spread to the rest of the world are called pandemics. 
  • Public health emergencies are planned for and managed by the BC Centre for Disease Control
  • Health alerts about disease outbreaks can come from several trusted sources across the province. Visit HealthLink BC for public health alerts.  

Getting ready for a disease outbreak

Check out these top tips from the Government of British Columbia on preparing for an outbreak. 

Pandemic preparedness guide

Find out how to prepare for a pandemic and stay prepared as circumstances change. Pandemic preparedness guide (PDF, 7.9MB)

Get notified of an emergency in your area  

Sign up for RDN's Voyent Alert! notificationsRegistration for the service is free, simple and anonymous. You can choose how you would like to receive alerts, either through a mobile app, email, text message or phone call. 

National alerts

Learn about Emergency Alerts and the National Public Alerting System | CRTC 

Useful links