The Communicable Disease Program provides surveillance and tracking of all reportable diseases and emerging health threats. Disease outbreak investigations are conducted and appropriate control measures are implemented. Our staff work together to assess data and information, address what actions need to be taken and to assure the community is receiving information to meet its needs.

Our department has a well established Epidemiology (EPI) Team made up of diverse multidisciplinary staff. Our EPI Team works to:

• Coordinate routine and non-routine disease surveillance activities;

• Conduct epidemiologic investigations;

• Gather and analyze information from investigations;

• Recommend appropriate public health interventions for disease control; and

• Educate the public about disease prevention and control measures.  

Our EPI Team meets regularly to review current epidemiology surveillance, topics, issues, and alerts. They also identify public health threats from surveillance data, determine priorities for action, and develop plans and implement actions. Our EPI Team plans prevention strategies and training based upon lessons learned from previous events; and conducts training for team members as needed. One of the most essential reasons the team meets regularly is to strengthen relationships with key agencies/community partners to enhance community response to communicable diseases and/or public health threats.  During an incident or event, the EPI Team aids in fulfilling the statutory responsibility for investigating and responding to outbreaks and other public health threats to Dare County.