The Douglas County Health Department conducts disease surveillance to control the spread of communicable (contagious) disease. These diseases can be spread in a variety of ways: person to person, contact with animals, or eating contaminated food and water. This includes serious diseases such as E. coli, Salmonella, and rabies.
Illnesses are reported directly to the Douglas County Health Department and discovered through investigations. Communicable disease staff conduct interviews and investigations to learn about disease transmission and prevent further illness in Douglas County.
NEW! Looking for data? Check out the Health Department Data website and the Communicable Disease Data Dashboard.
The Douglas County Health Department is notified by providers or labs when a resident tests positive for a reportable illness. Reporting is required by law.
You may be called by a disease intervention specialist or epidemiologist if you test positive for a reportable illness. They will ask for information about your experience with illness and possible exposures. Calls may last 15-30 minutes. In these calls, staff will:
Information from interviews helps public health staff prevent additional illness in the county. Environmental health staff may conduct restaurant inspections if the illness was connected with food prepared outside your home.
Your willingness to talk with health department staff helps keep our residents healthy! All information you share is kept confidential and will not be shared outside of public health.
The Douglas County Health Department now has a single online form for you to report animal encounters, illnesses, and outbreaks. Not sure if you need to report something? Let us know if you experience any of the following:
