- Home
- Providers & Partners
- Providers & Partners
- Disease Reporting
Disease Reporting
COVID-19 Notice: Positive lab results for SARS-CoV2 are reportable to the Snohomish County Health Department. Please see instructions below on reporting diseases, and refer to health alerts for medical providers in Snohomish County.
We rely on health care providers, labs, and hospitals to help us spot disease trends and identify outbreaks. In addition to the diseases considered Notifiable Conditions by the Department of Health, it is vital that clinicians also report unusual clusters of disease or events that raise a level of suspicion, such as apparent outbreaks of food-borne or water-borne illness.
The state Legislature has an easy reference web page listing notifiable conditions along with the reporting time-frame requirements (PDF). The State Department of Health website has a Notifiable Conditions page including links to detailed disease references and investigation guidelines.
posters
Providers are encouraged to print these, which include reporting timelines and contact information for Snohomish County Health Department:
The Snohomish County Health Department has several programs for investigating specific diseases. Each program has different reporting requirements, including report forms that must be filled out and faxed to us. Do not email reports or patient information to us. To report a pregnant woman who tests positive for Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg), see our Perinatal Hepatitis B page.
Communicable Disease Reporting
Contact the Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response program for all notifiable conditions, except TB, STD, and HIV/AIDS. This program also takes reports of animal bites when exposure to rabies is suspected (most dog, cat and rodent bites are low-risk and do not require reporting).
Please complete and fax the Communicable Disease Report Form (PDF) and any accompanying lab reports to 425-339-8706.
HIV/AIDS Reporting
HIV/AIDS cases are reportable within 3 working days Complete and fax the HIV Reporting Form (PDF) to 425-339-8707. Snohomish County Health Department staff can assist in notifying spouses and sex partners or needle-sharing partners of someone diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. We are also working with providers to offer pre-exposure prophylaxis to sex partners of people with HIV/AIDS. Contact our HIV/AIDS program for assistance via 425-339-5261.
Sexually Transmitted Disease Reporting
STDs must be reported within 3 working days. Complete the fill in form and fax the Confidential STD Case Report (PDF) to 425-339-8707. Snohomish County Health Department staff can assist in notifying sex partners of someone diagnosed with Chlamydia, gonorrhea and/or syphilis. Please contact our STD program staff for assistance: 425-339-5261.
Tuberculosis (TB) Reporting
Patients with a first-time positive TB skin test need to follow up first with their healthcare provider. For patients who show signs and symptoms suspicious of active TB disease, report it to the Snohomish County Health Department Tuberculosis program at 425-339-5225.
Once you confirm or suspect a notifiable disease or condition, the time-frame to report it is based on severity and risk. The Notifiable Conditions chart (PDF) is coded to show how urgently you must contact public health:
- Immediately reportable conditions require a phone call to speak directly with a Snohomish County Health Department nurse. Use our emergency number if it is after hours
- Within 24 hours reportable conditions require a phone call to us during business hours or to our non-urgent reporting line
- Within 3 business days reportable conditions can be reported by faxing us the appropriate disease Reporting formulas governing disease reporting
Snohomish County Health Department complies with state and federal guidelines on patient privacy. See our HIPAA Privacy Notice. Washington Administrative Code 246-101 governs notifiable condition reporting. The federal HIPAA Privacy Rule permits certain entities to disclose protected health information, without authorization, to public health authorities, such as the Snohomish County Health Department, that are legally authorized to receive such information for the purpose of preventing or controlling disease, injury.