- 304-824-3330
- 8008 Court Street, Hamlin, WV
- Mon - Fri: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
- 304-824-3330
- 8008 Court Street, Hamlin, WV
- Mon - Fri: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
A communicable disease is an illness that can be transmitted from one person to another through various ways, including contact with blood and bodily fluids, breathing in an airborne virus, or being bitten by an insect.
Reporting communicable disease cases is important for planning and evaluating disease prevention and control programs, ensuring appropriate medical therapy, and detecting common-source outbreaks. The WV reportable infectious disease regulation requires physicians, hospitals, and laboratories to report communicable diseases to the health department’s epidemiology unit. Qualified health department staff investigate the cases and report the communicable diseases to the state office, which then reports to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Medical providers, hospitals, or laboratories reporting a communicable disease can download and fill out the West Virginia Reportable Disease Form.
Some examples of reportable communicable diseases include, but are not limited to, Hepatitis A, B, and C, Tuberculosis, influenza, measles, and salmonella, along with other foodborne illnesses.
Outbreak Investigation:
Weekly summaries of local physicians’ and hospital case reports can reveal increases or unusual patterns in communicable diseases. Sanitarians and nurses work together to identify these increases and conduct surveillance to prevent further spread of the disease.
Reporting:
The county reports all cases of communicable diseases to the State Health Department either weekly or as required.
Provider and Community Education:
Local healthcare providers are educated about the importance of reporting communicable diseases to ensure proper investigation and follow-up. Information about new diseases or predicted outbreaks is shared with the community and healthcare providers in the area.
Staff are available for reporting issues or for consultation using the contact information provided below:
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