May 14, 2026 | PERL Director Joanne Liu, Deputy Director Prativa Baral and Senior Investigator Veasna Duong write in The Conversation that the Andes virus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius is not the next pandemic but a One Health stress test, exposing how climate change, deforestation and last-chance tourism are reshaping spillover risk — and how brittle the international response system remains, with hantavirus going unidentified for three weeks after the first death on board.
May 12, 2026 | Veasna Duong, Senior Investigator at PERL, spoke to Global News on how Canadians can reduce hantavirus exposure while opening cottages or doing spring cleaning. Duong walked through the household conditions that draw rodents into attics and sheds, and emphasized that UV light breaks the virus down. "The virus cannot survive for a long time under sunlight. UV will kill the virus."
February 6, 2026 | McGill Reporter covered the February 3 launch of the Pandemic and Emergency Readiness Lab (PERL), led by Director Joanne Liu. The piece outlines PERL's mission to bring a practitioner mindset into the academic ecosystem and to help leaders act more effectively when crises strike. As Liu put it at the launch: "Science is under attack, policies are being diluted, and data are fragmented. We need to fight back against this spiral of vulnerability."
February 3, 2026 | Whether the next emergency is a pandemic, wildfire, or another global shock, Joanne Liu, MDCM, FRCPC, told the Montreal Gazette that preparedness must occur before disaster strikes. . Prativa Baral, PhD, also highlighted PERL’s work on countering misinformation through frontline providers and building a civilian surge-capacity model. As she put it, “You can have all the science in the world, but if people don’t trust the science, you’re in trouble.”
February 6, 2026 | PERL's Deputy Director, Prativa Baral, PhD, joined CBC News to explain why Canada needs to rethink how it prepares for crises. She explains PERL's goal in breaking the "panic-neglect" cycle that leaves societies unprepared for the next emergency, whether that be pandemics, climate disasters, or new unknown threats. PERL focuses on building systems that strengthen readiness and resilience, no matter what comes next.
February 3, 2026 | Director Joanne Liu, MDCM, FRCPC, joined CTV News to discuss PERL's mission. She explains that "What we see is that these crises, which often overlap, really create a ripple and multiplier effect on the impact on health systems and society." Dr. Liu designed the lab on the premise that the next crisis won't wait for us to be ready; rather, we need to identify best practices.
January 30, 2026 | Dr. Joanne Liu, MDCM, FRCPC joined CBC/Radio-Canada to discuss the importance of strengthening preparedness systems and policies for future health emergencies. Dr. Liu emphasized the importance of collaboration across sectors, "We want to be there for Canadians and partner with both the public and private sectors. Building strong partnerships is key to tackling any emergency or crisis we may face in the future."