New Disease Outbreak Reporting Requirement for ALFs

VHCA (7/10/2008)

On July 1, 2008 a new law went into effect that modified section 32.1-37 of the Code of Virginia to require anyone in charge of any program, service, or facility licensed or operated by any state agency, including assisted living facilities (ALFs), to report outbreaks of disease to the local health department. The Virginia Department of Health has created a fact sheet on this requirement which explains the requirement and responds to questions related to (1) who is required to report, (2) what diseases should be reported, (3) what constitutes an outbreak, (4) which health department should be contacted, and (5) how a facility knows an outbreak is occurring.  Facilities licensed by the health department (hospitals and nursing facilities) as well as physicians and directors of laboratories have always been required to report diseases to the health department.  This is a new requirement for ALFs.

The Fact Sheet also contains contact information for Virginia’s health districts and their component city and county health departments. Click here for the listing.  

When the health department receives an outbreak report, Health Department staff will collect and assess information about each ill person, including the date illness began, symptoms experienced, and exposure history.  Specimens may be collected for laboratory testing.  The Health Department might interview people at the facility or program, both those who are ill and those who have not been ill, to identify factors that may be associated with illness.  Most importantly, the health department will recommend steps to follow to stop the outbreak and reduce the risk of disease.