How Your Health Department Fights Disease Outbreaks

HOW YOUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT
FIGHTS DISEASE OUTBREAKS

Community member becomes ill with a serious infectious
disease such as measles, whooping cough, salmonella
or tuberculosis.

Doctor diagnoses the patient and contacts the health
department. Lab tests are often needed to confirm the diagnosis.

The health department interviews the sick person
and finds out who he or she has had contact with
while contagious and where the person has been.

We take action to prevent more people from getting sick.
The actions depend on the situation. Sick people may need
to stay home while they’re contagious.

We educate healthcare providers, employers, schools,
community members and the news media about diseases.

We continue to watch for new cases of the disease by
communicating with doctors, hospitals, ambulances,
laboratories, schools, employers and others. The monitoring
continues until there are no new reported cases.

cchealth.org/public-health • 925-313-6740