Coronavirus, Novel, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) (Reportable by telephone immediately (within 3 hours) upon initial clinical suspicion of the disease)

Section 690.361  Coronavirus, Novel, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) (Reportable by telephone immediately (within 3 hours) upon initial clinical suspicion of the disease) a)         Control of Case 1)         The Department will make recommendations as information becomes known about the transmissibility of the novel coronavirus. 2)         If present rules are not adequate, alternative recommendations may be issued.  See Section 690.100(d). 3)         When a case or suspected case is isolated in the home or in any other non-hospital setting, isolation procedures shall comply with Section 690.20(a)(4). b)         Control of Contacts 1)         The Department will make recommendations for control of contacts based on transmissibility and severity of the illness caused by the novel strain.  Observation and monitoring procedures shall comply with Section 690.20(a)(4). 2)         Close contacts of cases may be quarantined.  Quarantine procedures shall comply with Subpart I and Section 690.20(a)(4). c)         Laboratory Reporting 1)         Laboratories shall report all persons with novel coronavirus (suspected or confirmed) to the local health authority. Laboratories shall report to the local health authority patients who have a positive result on any laboratory test indicative of and specific for detecting novel coronavirus. 2)         If deemed necessary by the Department or local health authority, based on factors such as number or severity of cases, novelty of the virus, or need to test for treatment purposes, laboratories shall forward clinical specimens to the Department's laboratory for further testing.