What is a community disease?
Community, Communicable or infectious diseases are those spre
ad through people, animals, foods, surfaces or the air. When communicable diseases occur, we identify them, isolate them and work with our local health care providers to stop them from spreading. They are the leading cause of sickness and death worldwide.
Our Role:
Preventing and controlling communicable diseases are core public health functions that protect our community and reduce the potential for illness and death among people of all ages. To do this, the Public Health Communicable Disease Program works closely with our healthcare provider partners to:
- Provide you with information on how diseases are spread to enable you to keep yourself and others healthy.
- Promote immunizations.
- Partner and plan with local healthcare providers, the Washington State Department of Health and the Department of Emergency Management, if an infectious disease emergency occurs.
- Investigate outbreaks, contact people who may have been exposed, recommend appropriate treatment and share information with the community, so you can protect yourself and your family.
- Track local reports of more than 60 reportable diseases and conditions to help state and federal agencies monitor trends, allocate resources and learn more about how to fight or eliminate these illnesses.
Keep yourself healthy by learning about common communicable diseases, their symptoms and how to prevent infection.
The links at the left provide information on the diseases that our community members ask about most often. For information about others, click on Disease & Conditions A-Z . This Center for Disease Control Index gives you current and reliable information on all communicable diseases and conditions.