CDC issues travel notice for Manitoba hepatitis A outbreak

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Level 1 travel health notice for Manitoba in response to a prolonged hepatitis A outbreak that has sickened hundreds of people and led to several deaths across the Canadian province.

Low-level travel alert highlights ongoing outbreak

The CDC travel notice, posted in early June, classifies hepatitis A in Manitoba as a Level 1 situation, the lowest tier in the agency’s four-level system for global health risks. Level 1 alerts advise travelers to practice usual precautions, while higher levels may recommend enhanced precautions, postponing nonessential travel, or avoiding travel altogether.

Publicly available information indicates that Manitoba has recorded a significant rise in hepatitis A cases since the outbreak was first identified in 2025, with transmission now confirmed across multiple regions of the province. Local updates from Manitoba Health describe a person-to-person outbreak involving a common viral strain and affecting both remote First Nations communities and urban centers such as Winnipeg.

Reports summarizing provincial data indicate that the outbreak has grown to more than 600 confirmed cases, with several fatalities associated with severe liver complications. Health bulletins from regional agencies in Canada describe the situation as ongoing, with additional communities steadily being added to targeted vaccination campaigns throughout 2025 and 2026.

The CDC notice does not advise against travel to Manitoba. Instead, it flags the outbreak for international travelers who may be unaware that hepatitis A, typically associated with destinations that have limited sanitation infrastructure, is circulating at elevated levels within a Canadian province.

Who is most at risk when visiting Manitoba

Hepatitis A is a viral infection that affects the liver and spreads primarily through the fecal-oral route, including close personal contact with an infected person or consuming contaminated food or water. Public health resources in Manitoba emphasize that the general risk to residents and visitors remains low, but that certain groups face a higher likelihood of exposure.

Provincial guidance points to people living in or visiting communities with active transmission, individuals experiencing homelessness, people who inject drugs, and those in close contact with known cases as key risk groups. Staff and volunteers working with vulnerable populations, as well as correctional facility inmates, have also been included in expanded vaccination eligibility lists as the outbreak has evolved.

For travelers, risk is influenced by the type of trip and planned activities. People who will spend extended time in affected northern First Nations communities, work in shelters or community organizations, or stay with friends or relatives in outbreak areas may have more frequent close contact and therefore higher exposure potential than short-stay business or leisure visitors remaining in large hotels.

Travel medicine specialists generally note that hepatitis A has long been one of the most common vaccine-preventable infections among travelers worldwide. The Manitoba outbreak underscores that even destinations with otherwise strong health systems can see localized spikes, particularly where there are inequities in housing, sanitation, or vaccination coverage.

Vaccination and hygiene recommendations for travelers

In its Manitoba travel notice, the CDC advises prospective visitors to ensure they are vaccinated against hepatitis A before departure. The hepatitis A vaccine is widely used and typically administered as a two-dose series, although even a single dose received before travel can provide significant short-term protection.

Travel health guidance from Canadian and provincial sources likewise encourages anyone heading to areas with ongoing spread of hepatitis A to consult a health care provider or travel clinic, ideally six weeks before departure. This timeline allows for vaccination and any necessary catch-up immunizations for other routine diseases, but individuals with imminent travel plans are still generally advised to seek advice, as a first dose can often be given on short notice.

In addition to vaccination, standard food and water precautions remain important. Travelers are urged to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after using the toilet and before eating or preparing food. Where handwashing facilities are not easily available, alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be used as a backup, although they are not a substitute for proper handwashing in all circumstances.

Public information from Manitoba Health stresses that, while the outbreak has been linked largely to person-to-person transmission, basic hygiene measures help reduce risk in community settings, particularly in crowded environments or where shared washroom or kitchen facilities are used.

Local response focuses on targeted vaccination

Manitoba’s health authorities have responded to the outbreak with a series of escalating vaccination campaigns, progressively expanding eligibility as more communities reported cases. Government summaries describe an initial focus on the Island Lake region in 2025, followed by additional First Nations communities and higher-risk groups in 2026 as surveillance identified further spread.

Recent public health updates note that all residents of several First Nations communities, people traveling to or working in these locations, household visitors from these areas, and specific urban populations such as people experiencing homelessness and staff of community-based organizations in Winnipeg are now being offered hepatitis A vaccine at no cost.

Regional health organizations in neighboring jurisdictions have issued public health alerts to clinicians and residents who may travel frequently between northern Manitoba and nearby communities, underscoring concerns about cross-border spread and the need for coordinated vaccination efforts. These advisories echo Manitoba’s messaging that the vaccine is the most effective way to control the outbreak and prevent severe illness.

Despite the scale of the outbreak, provincial updates continue to characterize the overall risk to the broader public as low, particularly for individuals who are vaccinated and who follow recommended hygiene practices. However, the ongoing expansion of eligibility lists indicates that authorities see continued community transmission and remain focused on curbing further spread.

What the CDC notice means for U.S. travelers

A Level 1 notice from the CDC encourages travelers to be informed and prepared rather than to cancel or postpone trips. For Manitoba, that means U.S. visitors are being asked to check their vaccination history, talk with a health care provider about hepatitis A immunization if they are not protected, and pay attention to food safety and hand hygiene during their stay.

Travel industry observers note that health-related advisories for Canadian destinations have typically centered on seasonal respiratory viruses or global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, making the Manitoba hepatitis A notice a relatively unusual entry on the CDC’s travel health roster. However, its Level 1 classification places it alongside many other destinations where localized outbreaks warrant additional awareness rather than broad travel restrictions.

Travelers planning trips that include remote communities, volunteer work, or close interaction with local households may wish to seek more detailed guidance from travel health clinics, given the elevated risk profile for such activities in the context of the current outbreak. Those limiting their visits to urban centers, hotels, and conventional tourist activities may face lower direct exposure, but are still covered by the general vaccination and hygiene recommendations.

For now, publicly available information shows that Manitoba continues to manage a complex outbreak that has persisted for more than a year, while the CDC’s new notice places the province more firmly on the radar of international travelers. How long the advisory remains in place will depend on the trajectory of new cases, the uptake of vaccination in affected communities, and the success of ongoing public health measures to interrupt transmission.