In Washington State, there are some reporting requirements for confirmed or suspected diseases or conditions. Health care professionals, school, veterinarians, child day care facilities, food service establishments and laboratories are required to report some diseases to local public health.

​The timeframe for when public health needs to be contacted varies based on the condition. See a list of notifiable conditions here. 

Reporting notifiable conditions to public health allows public health to identify outbreak and prevent the spread of disease.  In some cases, contact tracing may be necessary to help prevent the spread of the disease (such as with measles). When contact tracing is not required, reporting notifiable conditions allows public health to be aware of any outbreaks, provide community education, or identify the source of infection.

​Some notifiable conditions may not become a concern unless multiple cases are reported within a short time frame or a specific location. For example, a single case of norovirus may not be significant, but multiple reports may warrant an investigation. 

Learn more about why some conditions are notifiable and the process for reporting to public health here.