DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
P.O.
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 180
August 15, 2008
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division
Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Billy K.
Cannaday, Jr. Superintendent
of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
Disease Outbreak
Reporting in Schools |
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 schools,
to report outbreaks of disease to the local health department. The Division of
Epidemiology at the Virginia Department of Health has drafted a fact sheet,
Attachment A, on required outbreak reporting to provide guidance to those
agencies required to report.
An outbreak is defined as
the occurrence of more cases of disease than expected. There is no strict
definition or specific number of cases that need to occur to be considered an
outbreak. If people who work in a facility sense that more people are sick with
similar symptoms than is usually seen, then an outbreak should be reported to
the local health department serving the city or county in which the facility is
located. Contact information for
Should
you have further questions, please contact Tia Campbell, RN, MSN, NCSN, school
health specialist, at 804-786-8671 or Tia.Campbell@doe.virginia.gov.
BKCJr/tbc
Attachment
a. Outbreak Reporting Requirement for Facilities and Programs (PDF)