Communicable diseases
What is a communicable disease?
A communicable disease is an infectious disease that is spread from one person or an animal to another person.
The Communicable Diseases Program
The Communicable Diseases Program undertakes communicable disease surveillance and initiates responses to reduce the spread of communicable diseases. Early detection and intervention are essential parts of the program.
Notification of diseases allows our staff to work with other health workers to ensure appropriate public health measures are taken including the identification of the disease source and the prevention of further spread of disease.
Resources
Infectious diseases and other conditions of concern still occur frequently throughout the world. Constant vigilance is required to prevent the reappearance of diseases and conditions thought to have been eradicated.
Changes in lifestyle have also led to the emergence of new threats to public health from infection.
Visit NSW Health infectious diseases to find out more.
The Communicable Diseases Weekly Report (CDWR) provides a weekly summary of communicable diseases notifications, investigations and issues in NSW.
These reports include a summary of notifiable infections for the week as reported to NSW public health units by medical practitioners, hospitals and pathology laboratories
The Public Health Act 2010 requires that certain medical conditions be notified to public health authorities in NSW. The Disease notification page is primarily concerned with the infectious diseases and conditions (including elevated blood lead levels) which are required to be notified to the relevant NSW public health unit.
The objectives of the Public Health Act 2010 are to:
- protect and promote public health
- control the risk to public health
- promote the control of infectious diseases
- prevent the spread of infectious diseases
- recognise the role of local governments in protecting public health
- monitor diseases and conditions affecting public health.
Smarttraveler provides Australians with the latest information and advice to stay safe whilst overseas.
The World Health Organization (WHO
The primary role of the WHO is to direct and coordinate international health within the United Nations system.
The main areas of work are health systems, health through the life-course, noncommunicable and communicable diseases, preparedness, surveillance and response and corporate services.