The mission of the Epidemiology Program is to rapidly detect and investigate communicable diseases and environmental health hazards, provide prevention-focused education, and to institute control measures to prevent and reduce the impact of diseases.
Online Disease Reporting – Healthcare providers required to report cases of communicable diseases can now report those cases online 24 hours a day using our secure, confidential online reporting system. (note that new users must click on the ‘Register Now’ option, registration requests are reviewed and only providers known to our agency will have their access approved - popups must be enabled for the system to function)
Hours of Operation
Office Hours: Mon – Thu 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Phone: (915) 771-5810
Fax: (915) 771-5801
After Hours Emergencies: (915) 771-5702
Disease Reporting Hours: 24 hours a day / 7 days a week
Clean Hands Save Lives
Keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. It is best to wash your hands with soap and clean running water for 20 seconds. However, if soap and clean water are not available, use a 60 to 90% alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Alcohol-based hand rubs significantly reduce the number of germs on skin and are fast acting.
When washing hands with soap and water:
Wet your hands with clean running water and apply soap. Use warm water if it is available
Rub hands together to make a lather and rub in between fingers, the back of your hands, wrists, and fingertips (covering all parts of the hands)
Continue rubbing hands for 20 seconds. Need a timer? Imagine singing “Happy Birthday” twice through to a friend!
Rinse hands well under running water
Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer. If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the faucet
Open bathroom door using paper towel
Discard paper towel in waste basket
Remember: If soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based gel to clean hands.
When using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer:
Apply product to the palm of one hand
Rub hands together
Work the sanitizer in between fingers, the back of your hands, wrists and fingertips (covering all parts of the hands and fingers).
Keep rubbing your hands until dry
When should you wash your hands?
Before preparing or eating food
After going to the bathroom
After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has gone to the bathroom
Before and after tending to someone who is sick
After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
After handling an animal or animal waste
After handling garbage
Before and after treating a cut or wound
Services
The main services of the Epidemiology Program are:
Conduct surveillance, investigation, prevention, education, and control activities to reduce the spread of communicable/infectious diseases.
Notifiable condition reports are received 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Collect, analyze, interpret and monitor disease occurrences in the population
Provide statistical data on reportable diseases.
Provide technical support to healthcare providers and the community in the management of diseases of public health importance.
Provide prophylaxis treatment (under special circumstances) and refer susceptible disease contacts for immunizations.
Ensure compliance with regulations and laws to protect and promote health
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