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Manitoba health officials are sounding the alarm over an ongoing hepatitis A outbreak that’s worsened in recent weeks.
The outbreak was first declared in April 2025 and at the time was isolated to some remote northern Manitoba communities, but cases have been rising in recent weeks including in Winnipeg and other areas of the province.
According to the province, as of April 26, there were 601 hepatitis A cases connected to this outbreak, mostly spread through person-to-person contact, with 131 cases in Winnipeg. There have also been 133 hospitalizations, five intensive care unit admissions, and three deaths.
“We haven’t seen hepatitis A outbreaks for several decades now,” said Dr. Carol Kurbis, a provincial medical officer of health in communicable disease prevention and control.
“Hepatitis A used to be more common in some of the northern, remote communities back in the 1980s, but we really haven’t seen significant outbreaks since then.”
Dr. Kurbis says this could partly be why a younger population is more affected by this current outbreak, as older populations are more likely to have immunity either due to previous outbreaks or vaccination.
Dr. Kurbis also says the spread of the virus is difficult to contain.
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“Hepatitis A is challenging to control in an outbreak. It is very infectious. You can spread the virus for up to two weeks before symptoms develop and (for) a week after symptoms develop,” Dr. Kurbis said, noting some people, particularly children, can spread hepatitis A without ever developing symptoms.
She says the vaccine can even prevent infection after exposure.
The province has expanded free vaccine eligibility to anyone aged six months and older in Garden Hill First Nation, St. Theresa Point First Nation, Wasagamack First Nation, Red Sucker Lake First Nation, Peguis First Nation, War Lake First Nation, and Bloodvein River First Nation.
Garden Hill First Nation declared a state of emergency in November due to the outbreak. The province also says a lack of adequate sewage and water infrastructure in some remote northern communities has played a role in transmission.
Grand Chief Alex McDougall of Anisininew Okimawin, which represents the four First Nations in the Island Lakes region including Garden Hill, St. Theresa Point, Wasagamack, and Red Sucker Lake First Nations, says their communities are in crisis and levels of government need to step up.
“It’s common knowledge for First Nations communities, particularly isolated communities, that we’re ‘out of sight, out of mind’. We’re not top of priority in terms of providing services to our community,” Grand Chief McDougall told Global News, adding he anticipates the case numbers to continue to rise.
“We’re in a desperate situation here. Our community members are unfortunately dying from these outbreaks and we’re continuing to lose loved ones.”
Denise Bear, the nurse in charge at Peguis Health Centre, says that community had 11 cases between July and December, and one more case in April.
“We need to take urgent matters and encourage people to come in and get vaccinated,” Bear said, noting they have vaccinated 204 people since July for hepatitis A and 32 people for hepatitis A and B
32 people since July have received
Symptoms of hepatitis A, an acute liver infection, can include fever, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, stomach cramps, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dark urine, clay-coloured stools, and jaundice.
The province says those with mild symptoms can recover within one to two weeks, but the illness can be more severe for those with a weakened immune system, chronic liver disease, and anyone over the age of 60.
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
