R386-702-11. General Measures for the Control of Communicable Diseases

  (1) The local health department shall maintain all reportable disease records as needed to enforce Chapter 6 of the Health Code and this rule, or as requested by the Utah Department of Health.

  (2) General Control Measures for Reportable Diseases.

  (a) The local health department shall, when an unusual or rare disease occurs in any part of the state or when any disease becomes so prevalent as to endanger the state as a whole, contact the Bureau of Epidemiology, Utah Department of Health for assistance, and shall cooperate with the representatives of the Utah Department of Health.

  (b) The local health department shall investigate and control the causes of epidemic, infectious, communicable, and other disease affecting the public health. The local health department shall also provide for the detection, reporting, prevention, and control of communicable, infectious, and acute diseases that are dangerous or important or that may affect the public health. The local health department may require physical examination and measures to be performed as necessary to protect the health of others.

  (c) If, in the opinion of the local health officer it is necessary or advisable to protect the public's health that any person shall be kept from contact with the public, the local health officer shall establish, maintain and enforce involuntary treatment, isolation and quarantine as provided by Section 26-6-4. Control measures shall be specific to the known or suspected disease agent. Guidance is available from the Bureau of Epidemiology, Utah Department of Health or official reference listed in R386-702-18.

  (3) Prevention of the Spread of Disease From a Case.

  The local health department shall take action and measures as may be necessary within the provisions of Section 26-6-4; Title 26, Chapter 6b; and this rule, to prevent the spread of any communicable disease, infectious agent, or any other condition which poses a public health hazard. Action shall be initiated upon discovery of a case or upon receipt of notification or report of any disease.

  (4) Prevention of the Spread of Disease or Other Public Health Hazard.

  A case, suspected case, carrier, contact, other person, or entity (e.g. facility, hotel, organization) shall, upon request of a public health authority, promptly cooperate during:

  (a) An investigation of the circumstances or cause of a case, suspected case, outbreak, or suspected outbreak.

  (b) The carrying out of measures for prevention, suppression, and control of a public health hazard, including, but not limited to, procedures of restriction, isolation, and quarantine.

  (5) Public Food Handlers.

  A person known to be infected with a communicable disease that can be transmitted by food or drink products, or who is suspected of being infected with such a disease, may not engage in the commercial handling of food or drink products, or be employed on any premises handling those types of products, unless those products are packaged off-site and remain in a closed container until purchased for consumption, until the person is determined by the local health department to be free of communicable disease, or incapable of transmitting the infection.

  (6) Communicable Diseases in Places Where Food or Drink Products are Handled or Processed.

  If a case, carrier, or suspected case of a disease that can be conveyed by food or drink products is found at any place where food or drink products are handled or offered for sale, or if a disease is found or suspected to have been transmitted by these food or drink products, the local health department may immediately prohibit the sale, or removal of drink and all other food products from the premises. Sale or distribution of food or drink products from the premises may be resumed when measures have been taken to eliminate the threat to health from the product and its processing as prescribed by R392-100.

  (7) Request for State Assistance.

  If a local health department finds it is not able to completely comply with this rule, the local health officer or his representative shall request the assistance of the Utah Department of Health. In such circumstances, the local health department shall provide all required information to the Bureau of Epidemiology. If the local health officer fails to comply with the provisions of this rule, the Utah Department of Health shall take action necessary to enforce this rule.

  (8) Approved Laboratories.

  Laboratory analyses that are necessary to identify the causative agents of reportable diseases or to determine adequacy of treatment of patients with a disease shall be ordered by the physician or other health care provider to be performed in or referred to a laboratory holding a valid certificate under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988.