Communicable Disease

Quarterly Communicable

Disease Update

Central Oregon Public Health Quarterly: 2025 Quarter 1

The 2025 Quarter 1 issue provides a 2024 Communicable Disease (CD) Year-in-Review—including a look at both case counts and rates of Central Oregon CD regional cases (5+) compared to overall state data. Previous 5-year case counts/rates (2019-2023) are also compared. A CD spotlight on animal bites and rabies is presented. The PDF of the report can be found in the ‘supporting documents’ section (bottom of page).

What are communicable diseases?

Communicable diseases are diseases that can spread from one person to another person. These diseases are spread through touch, bodily fluids, and air. Communicable disease can also be spread from animal or insect to person. In order to limit the spread of disease, our communicable disease program:

Tracks disease trends;
Investigates disease outbreaks;
Prevents the spread of communicable disease through treatment, and investigating outbreaks;
Providing disease prevention services; and
Providing education to health care providers, school personnel, employers, and residents.

State and Local Data Reports

The Oregon Health Authority provides dashboards and annual reports on communicable disease data.

Central Oregon Public Health Departments compile regular flu, RSV & COVID reports. The PDF of these reports can be found in the ‘supporting documents’ section (bottom of page). Click here --> to receive these updates via email.

Communicable Disease Reporting

Communicable diseases can spread rapidly through a population and community. Since they can cause serious complications or even death, Crook County Health Department investigates reportable diseases to prevent addition illness. Preventing the spread of disease is a primary responsibility of public health, and monitoring patterns of diseases helps local, state, and national public health authorities prevent outbreaks and epidemics.

There are more than 50 diseases/infections that providers and health professionals are required to report. A few examples are:

Chlamydia
Hepatitis (A, B, C)
HIV
Meningitis
Pertussis (whooping cough)
Rabies
Salmonella
Tuberculosis
E. Coli

All health care providers (doctors, nurses, lab technologist) are required by law to submit reportable disease information to the public health department within a disease-specific timeframe. The timely reporting enables appropriate public health intervention and follow-up to stop the spread of the illness. Interpreter services for Spanish speaking clients are available.

A patients personal information is kept confidential by the public health department according to HIPAA. HIPAA does not prohibit health care providers from reporting protected health information to public health authorities for the purpose of preventing or controlling diseases.