Controlling the spread of infectious diseases
Community and Public Health is responsible for investigating cases of infectious diseases, as well as controlling their spread within our community. The goal is to reduce future occurrences of infectious disease.
Community and Public Health compiles and reports data on infectious disease trends for our region (disease surveillance).
- Read the latest Public Health Update about notifiable diseases and other public health issues to health professionals.
- Read the latest Notifiable Disease Surveillance Reports.
- Read the latest Influenza and Respiratory Illness Surveillance Reports – produced from May to October each year.
Staff are also prepared to deal with large local, regional or national outbreaks or health emergencies. Examples include a national flu pandemic or the threat of water-borne diseases after natural disasters or other emergency situations.
Some infectious diseases must be reported
The Health Act 1956 requires medical practices and other agencies or institutions, to report the following notifiable disease types to the local Medical Officer of Health:
- Common enterics (such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Yersinia);
- Serious enteric (such as Typhoid, Shigella, Cholera, Paratyphoid, Listeria, Hepatitis A);
- Vaccine preventable (such as Measles, Mumps, Pertussis/Whooping Cough, Rubella); and
- Other serious (such as Meningitis, Legionella, Mosquito borne diseases, Avian Influenza, Hepatitis B and C).
- Download the Complete List of Notifiable Diseases (Ministry of Health).
- Get the latest information and advice on COVID-19.
- Download or order resources on Infectious Diseases.
- Download frequently asked questions information on notifiable diseases and surveillance [256KB PDF].
- Download factsheets on diseases of public health importance.
Response to a disease notification
The Communicable Disease Team’s response to a notification depends on the urgency and potential severity of the disease, and may involve:
- an investigation into the source of the infection to protect those possibly exposed and to prevent its recurrence;
- offering preventive medication or vaccination to people who have been in contact with an infected person;
- arranging or taking samples/specimens from an infected person or close contacts to confirm the diagnosis or confirm if a person is still infectious; and
- finding out more information through a questionnaire, hospital visit or interview.
- Download forms for notifying diseases or reporting an outbreak in a setting or facility such as aged care or education providers.
- Find out how to report a case of food poisoning or acute gastroenteritis.
Prevention is better than cure
Infectious disease prevention is also a big priority for Community and Public Health. The National Immunisation Programme for children is important in protecting against diseases such as measles. Another valuable vaccination programme is the annual influenza vaccination for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and chronically ill.
Medical Officers of Health are responsible for authorising vaccinators, and Communicable Disease staff can provide advice on immunisation issues.
Documents
- Communicable Disease Control Manual.
- National Polio Outbreak Preparedness and Response Framework for Aotearoa New Zealand (Ministry of Health 2023).
- Rheumatic Fever Roadmap 2023 – 2028 (Te Whatu Ora 2023).
- Aotearoa New Zealand Sexually Transmitted and Blood Borne Infection Strategy 2023-2030 (Ministry of Health 2023).
- Kotahitanga: Uniting Aotearoa against infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance (Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor 2022). A summary report is also available.
- Racism and Xenophobia Experiences in Aotearoa New Zealand during COVID-19: A focus on Chinese and Asian communities (Human Rights Commission 2021).
- Health Sector Response to the 2019 Measles Outbreaks (Ministry of Health 2020).
- 2019 Canterbury Measles Outbreak: A summary of cases (Community and Public Health 2019).
- Risk Factors for Legionella longbeachae Legionnaires’ Disease, New Zealand (Emerging Infectious Diseases, July 2017).
- New Zealand Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan (Ministry of Health 2017).
- An Outbreak of Waterborne Gastroenteritis in Darfield, Canterbury July-August 2012 (Community and Public Health 2013).
- Measles outbreak in Canterbury 2009 (NZ Public Health Surveillance Report, December 2009).
- Health Act 1956.
- Tuberculosis Act 1948.
COVID-19 related reports
- COVID-19 Risk Among Disabled People (Ministry of Health 2023).
- Review of the equity response to COVID-19: Final report for the Ministry of Health (Te Rau Ora 2022).
- A window on quality 2022: COVID-19 and impacts on our broader health system – Part 2 (Health Quality and Safety Commission NZ 2022).
- COVID-19 Variants of Concern framework summary (Ministry of Health 2022).
- COVID-19 Mortality in Aotearoa New Zealand: Inequities in Risk (Ministry of Health 2022).
- COVID-19 Delta variant Response Rapid Review (Ministry of Health 2022).
- A window on quality 2021: COVID-19 and impacts on our broader health system – Part 1 (Health Quality and Safety Commission NZ 2021).
- New Zealand Aotearoa Pandemic Response Policy for Aged Residential Care (Ministry of Health 2020).
- COVID-19 disruptions to hospital and general practice activity (Ministry of Health 2020).
- COVID-19 in Health Care and Support Workers in Aotearoa New Zealand (Ministry of Health 2020).
Downloads
Download or order resources from the Community Health Information Centre.
Links
Contact the Communicable Disease staff at your local office for further information:
CANTERBURY
Ph: +64 3 364 1777
SOUTH CANTERBURY
Ph: +64 3 687 2600
WEST COAST
Ph: +64 3 768 1160
Become an Authorised Vaccinator
Community and Public Health deals with applications and renewals for authorised vaccinators and vaccination centres.
Signage for organisers of A&P Shows
The following signs were developed by Community and Public Health for use in areas at A&P Shows where people (especially children) have close contact with animals – such as petting areas or stock display pens.
These signs encourage not eating or drinking in these areas and washing or sanitising hands after touching animals. Print and laminate these signs for your next A&P Show.
- Hand Hygiene Signs for A&P Shows [1.17MB].
- No Food and Drink Sign for A&P Shows [1.05MB].
Contact your local office about borrowing hand sanitiser stands for your upcoming A&P Show.
Travel Health and Vaccination
Community and Public Health no longer provides information on vaccinations for overseas travel.
Contact your local medical practice or a specialist travel medicine clinic (as listed in the Medical section of the White Pages) for more information.
- Get advice about what to do if you become sick or injured while overseas (SafeTravel).
- Find a Yellow Fever Vaccination Clinic in Canterbury, South Canterbury or the West Coast (Te Whatu Ora).
Deletion of Community and Public Health infectious disease resources
Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health produced a number of popular information sheets relating to common infectious diseases, such as chickenpox (shingles), hand, foot and mouth and slapped cheek.
These resources have been discontinued ahead of the National Public Health Service rolling out national information.
A card (MED0129) and poster (MED0130) from the Ministry of Health on infectious diseases are still available.