Reporting a Communicable Disease

To report a communicable disease (PDF), please contact Yates County Public Health at 315-536-5160 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. After hours call 315-536-4438 and ask for the public health staff on call.

What is a Communicable Disease?

 A communicable disease is a an illness or infection that can be spread from person to person, animal to person, animal to animal, or person to animal.

Easy steps to keep you healthy and free of communicable diseases: 

• Clean your hands.
  •  Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. 
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. 
  •  Germs are spread to mucous membranes from contaminated surfaces this way.
• Practice other good health habits.  
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work and school. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.  
  •  When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
• Stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. 
  • This will help prevent spreading your illness to others.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue.
  •  When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.

(Last updated 5/17/2023)