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Outbreak Response

Suspect or Confirm a Notifiable Condition?

Anyone who has any knowledge of a suspect or confirmed case of a notifiable condition is required to report to the Hays County Health Department. Individuals include: health care providers, hospitals, laboratories, and schools. There are several Texas laws that require an individual to report persons suspected of have a reportable condition to the Hays County Health Department. The Epidemiology Division receives initial reports and collects additional information as needed through a detailed investigation. The case investigations conducted help monitor and give an understanding of disease prevalence in the county. The investigation guides necessary protection and prevention measures to reduce the spread of disease in the county.

Any outbreaks, exotic diseases, and unusual group expressions of disease must be reported. All diseases shall be reported by name, age, sex, race/ethnicity, DOB, address, telephone number, disease, date of onset, method of diagnosis, and name, address, and telephone number of physician. Cases or suspected cases of illness considered public health emergencies, outbreaks, exotic diseases, and unusual group expressions of disease must be reported to the local health department or DSHS immediately.

To report a communicable disease, a communicable disease reporting form needs to be filled out and submitted to the Hays County Epidemiologist (Epi-2  for more detailed single case medical care provider reports or Epi-1 for less detailed multiple reports) .

How to contact Hays County Epidemiologists:

Phone:  512-393-5534 or 512-393-5524 (after hours: 512-216-0162; leave a message and someone will respond within 48 hours. If it is an emergency, hang up and dial 911)
Email:  
Juli.barksdale@co.hays.tx.us or Ian.harris@co.hays.tx.us

More Communicable Disease Reporting Forms by the Texas Department of State Health Services can be found at: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/investigation/forms/

Hays County