Office of Communicable Diseases

HEALTH’S Office of Communicable Diseases role is to:

Detect, control, and prevent communicable diseases in Rhode Island.
Monitor and conduct surveillance for the incidence of various reportable diseases, including meningitis, hepatitis, foodborne diseases, Lyme disease, West Nile Virus, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted diseases.
Collect, analyze and distribute information about communicable diseases within Rhode Island.
Investigate disease outbreaks.
Detect, verify, and respond appropriately to a disease outbreak to minimize the impact on the health and economy of the State of RI.
Collect and analyze data on disease trends
Educate the public and medical community regarding disease prevention and treatment
Monitor emerging infectious diseases.
Enhance the capacity of public health to detect and react to infectious diseases of public health significance, particularly those involving biological terrorism.
Provide leadership for a statewide response to acute infectious communicable disease emergencies of unknown or emerging etiologies.
Increase access to clinical services for infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis and sexually transmitted diseases.