Notifiable Conditions

Public health surveillance is the collection, investigation and distribution of data about illness and death. This surveillance helps prevent and control disease in Washington State.

Surveillance is used to protect and improve the health of the public by:

• describing disease trends;
• identifying  and controlling the  sources of infection;
• educating the public and;
• preventing disease.

In Washington State, legal requirements for disease reporting form the foundation for disease surveillance and require health care providers, health care facilities, laboratories, veterinarians, food service establishments, child day care facilities, and schools to notify public health authorities of suspected or confirmed cases of selected diseases or conditions. These are referred to as notifiable conditions.

Local health jurisdictions are required to report information regarding those illnesses or deaths to DOH, which in turn sends disease reports to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This system is necessary to provide local, statewide and national disease incidence and trends in order to guide public health activities.

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Communicable Disease Epidemiology
Office of Epidemiology
Washington State Department of Health
MS: K17-9, 1610 NE 150th St.
Shoreline, WA 98155-9701

Phone (206) 418-5500
FAX (206) 418-5515
24-hour contact (toll-free inside Washington State only) 1-877-539-4344
 

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