WPC )yw֔vtbêߨKZ"MMhڱ@}$/tɹ~og{vγU}ANk=`b̡Gվ_Fr-kQ(S!kCǕ"(M ?P*CBu0;=H+kheyW76hc* p3^M*˖ĞƥZ-l"NUܓߐ8eMbi9[Ԗa @F:|\(nW@'u ^B&$Wc 0Q3vh}(6pyTaA($ Qph*PPLJ`M *CWf=p52 f?CB:@цEac[c8LM!cw7cϠ UߐX|.r_"Y9%ipl#>*#! %-U.3U.aU. 0>UN 04I}N^ w@4 mM\\dhr-tree\pso-dip-p60#|xX<@p `(Courier<@p `(Courier9Courier: 8Word222Null     XXXX       XXXX  (9 Z6Times New Roman Regular0 .Normal     XXXX       XXXX   ܓ{*c DDE(*:i+00U_XNXXXDate  NursingSupervisorFacilityAddressDearColleague:Long-termcarefacilities,assistedlivingcenters,andsimilarresidentialfacilitiesforolderordisabledpersonshaveatleastonethingincommon:theyareconcentrationsofpersonsatrelativelyhighriskformedicalproblems,includingmanycommunicablediseases.Thisletterisintendedtoremindyouthatoftheservicesweofferatthe______CountyHealthDepartmentandofoureagernesstohelpyouwithcommunicablediseaseproblems.Wecanassistwiththingslikeinfectioncontrolissues,diseasesurveillance,andfoodhandlertraining.Outbreaksofcommunicabledisease(e.g.,gastroenteritis)arecommon,andtherearemanyreasonswhytheymeritinvestigation.Outbreaksamongvulnerablepopulationscanhavedevastatingconsequences,andpromptinvestigationcanleadtointerventionsthatwilllimitorstopfurthertransmission.Consideralsothatinstitutionaloutbreaksaresometimesmarkersforlargerproblems.Manyanoutbreakinvolvingwidelydistributedcontaminatedfoodordrinkingwaterwasfirstidentifiedbecauseofwhatoriginallyseemedlikejustasmallproblematasinglenursinghome.Atimelycalltoyourlocalhealthdepartmentenablesustoinvestigatesuchoutbreaksandworkwithyoutocontrolthem.Asneeded,wecanalsocallupontheexpertiseofepidemiologistsandotherspecialistsattheOregonHealthDivision.Forthebenefitofthepublic'shealth,rememberthatcertain"diseasesandconditions"(e.g.,hepatitisB,salmonellosis,meningococcaldisease)arelegallyreportableinOregon.Infact,providingsuchinformationisnotonlylegal;itisrequired;.OregonAdministrativeRule(OAR)33319000requiresreportingandcooperatingwith  thelocalhealthdepartmentinitsinvestigationand  controlprocedures.ReporatablediseasestTheseconditionsmustbereportedtothecountyhealthdepartmentbyphysicians,clinicallaboratories,and administrators,superintendents,andmanagersofanyhealthcarefacility.Inadditiontothespecificallynameddiseases,anycluster D! ofillnesses"beitofdiarrheaorvomiting,pneumonia,influenza-likeillness,oranythingelse"mustbereportedatoncebycallingusat5xx/xxx-_xxxx_.Pleasecall;operatorsarestandingby.Shouldwebetemporarilyunavailable(e.g.,onweekendsorafterhours),youshouldcontacttheon-callepidemiologistfortheOregonHealthDivision(503/731-4030).Welookforwardtoservingyou.Sincerely,