Reporting Notifiable Diseases and Conditions and Communicable Diseases

What are the Notifiable Diseases and Conditions and Communicable Diseases (NDCCD) Regulations?

The NDCCD Regulations are pursuant to the Prince Edward Island Public Health Act and are intended to strengthen surveillance and the public health response to over 70 diseases and conditions including communicable diseases. Both suspect and confirmed cases are notifiable under the Regulations.

Who is responsible for reporting the diseases and conditions noted under the NDCCD Regulations?

Physicians and Nurse Practitioners have responsibility to report cases of suspected communicable diseases, for example measles, mumps and varicella, as soon as they are observed. The provincial laboratory has responsibility to report cases once they are confirmed.  Administrators of health facilities (and health care practitioners), community care facilities, camps, universities, schools and child care facilities also have reporting responsibility. These responsibilities are outlined in the Public Health Act in Sections 32-48 and in the NDCCD Regulations.

Why is reporting these diseases important?

There are several reasons why reporting NDCCD is important including:

• timely public health action such as contact tracing for immunization (eg. Varicella or Pertussis) and/or chemoprophylaxis (eg. Invasive Group A Streptococcal infection or Invasive Meningococcal Disease), food establishment investigations, and boil water advisories can prevent or reduce the spread of illness to others and potentially avoid a significant outbreak situation;
• the surveillance information is used to inform the planning and evaluation of disease prevention and control programs to ensure the right public health measures are in place in the province; 
• certain diseases are reportable nationally and internationally as part of a global public health surveillance system.

How do I make a report to the Chief Public Health Office?

Call 902-368-4996 during business hours or after hours call the Chief Public Health Officer (or Deputy or Designate) on call through the after-hours on-call pager system.

For more information download Reporting Notifiable Diseases, Conditions and Events: It’s the Law and PEI's Communicable Disease Guidelines.