In New Jersey, there are stringent laws that require laboratories and physicians to report a number of infectious diseases to the local health authority. Health officials, in turn, must investigate each reportable disease and may contact a sick or previously sick individual to complete State-mandated reporting requirements.
These investigations are always done by the health authority responsible for the geographic area where a sick individual resides. Such investigations are performed to comply with State law, but also are done to ensure that proper control measures may be put in place, outbreaks may be averted, and disease trends may be monitored.
Local public health nurses, health officers and environmental health specialists may become involved in this mandatory reporting, and are always grateful when residents cooperate with these requirements, as outlined in State Statute.