A. Every physician practicing in this Commonwealth who shall diagnose or reasonably suspect that any patient of his has any disease required by the Board to be reported and every director of any laboratory doing business in this Commonwealth that performs any test whose results indicate the presence of any such disease shall make a report within such time and in such manner as may be prescribed by regulations of the Board. Any such report involving a disease that such physician or laboratory director has reason to believe may be caused by exposure to an agent or substance that has been or may be used as a weapon shall be reported directly to the Commissioner or his designee using an emergency response system maintained by the Department and operated twenty-four hours a day.
B. Any physician who diagnoses a venereal disease in a child twelve years of age or under shall, in addition to the requirements of subsection A hereof, report the matter, in accordance with the provisions of § 63.2-1509, unless the physician reasonably believes that the infection was acquired congenitally or by a means other than sexual abuse.
C. Any physician practicing in this Commonwealth shall report to the local health department the identity of any patient of his who has tested positive for exposure to human immunodeficiency virus as demonstrated by such test or tests as are approved by the Board for this purpose. However, there is no duty on the part of the physician to notify any third party other than the local health department of such test result, and a cause of action shall not arise from any failure to notify any other third party.
D. Upon investigation by the local health department of a patient reported pursuant to subsection A, the Commissioner may, to the extent permitted by law, disclose the patient's identity and disease to the patient's employer if the Commissioner determines that (i) the patient's employment responsibilities require contact with the public and (ii) the nature of the patient's disease and nature of contact with the public constitutes a threat to the public health.
The patient's identity and disease state shall be confidential as provided in §§ 32.1-36.1 and 32.1-41. Any unauthorized disclosure of reports made pursuant to this section shall be subject to the penalties of § 32.1-27.
E. Physicians and laboratory directors may voluntarily report additional information at the request of the Department of Health for special surveillance or other epidemiological studies.
F. 1. Every laboratory located in this Commonwealth shall file a written report with the Department of its inventory of dangerous microbes and pathogens on an annual basis. The laboratory shall supplement this report upon any change in such inventory as prescribed by the Board or immediately if any microbes or pathogens cannot be accounted for within twenty-four hours.
2. Except as provided in this subsection, a report submitted pursuant to this subsection shall be confidential and shall not be a public record pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.). The Department shall cooperate with and may share information submitted to it pursuant to this subsection with the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state and federal law-enforcement agencies in any investigation involving the release, theft or loss of a dangerous microbe or pathogen required to be reported under this subsection.
3. Any unauthorized disclosure of reports made pursuant to this subsection shall be subject to the penalties of § 32.1-27.
Code 1950, § 32-48; 1976, c. 628; 1979, c. 711; 1981, c. 282; 1988, c. 130; 1989, c. 613; 1995, c. 534; 1997, c. 271; 2002, cc. 100, 768.
Structure Code of Virginia
Chapter 2 - Disease Prevention and Control
§ 32.1-35. List and reports of diseases and dangerous microbes and pathogens
§ 32.1-35.1. Information on health care-associated infections
§ 32.1-36. Reports by physicians and laboratory directors
§ 32.1-37. Reports by persons other than physicians
§ 32.1-37.01. Posting of information about cases of communicable disease of public health threat
§ 32.1-37.1. Report of diseases infecting dead human bodies
§ 32.1-38. Immunity from liability
§ 32.1-39. Surveillance and investigation
§ 32.1-40. Authority of Commissioner to examine medical records
§ 32.1-41. Anonymity of patients and practitioners to be preserved in use of medical records
§ 32.1-42. Emergency rules and regulations
§ 32.1-43. Authority of State Health Commissioner to require quarantine, etc.
§ 32.1-44. Isolated or quarantined persons
§ 32.1-45. Expense of treatment
§ 32.1-45.4. Comprehensive harm reduction programs
§ 32.1-46. Immunization of patients against certain diseases
§ 32.1-46.01. Virginia Immunization Information System
§ 32.1-46.02. Administration of influenza vaccine to minors
§ 32.1-46.2. Certain testing or determination of low risk for elevated blood-lead levels required
§ 32.1-47. Exclusion from school of children not immunized
§ 32.1-47.1. Vaccination of children; plan enhancements
§ 32.1-48. Powers of Commissioner in epidemic
§ 32.1-48.03. Petition for hearing; temporary detention
§ 32.1-48.04. Isolation hearing; conditions; order for isolation; right to appeal
§ 32.1-48.07. Conditions for invoking the provisions of this article
§ 32.1-48.08. Declaration of quarantine
§ 32.1-48.09. Order of quarantine
§ 32.1-48.010. Appeal of any order of quarantine
§ 32.1-48.012. Isolation order
§ 32.1-48.013. Appeal of any order of isolation
§ 32.1-48.013:1. Electronic filings as protection from communicable disease
§ 32.1-48.014. Enforcement of orders of quarantine or isolation; penalties
§ 32.1-48.015. Authorization to disclose health records
§ 32.1-48.016. Immunity from liability
§ 32.1-48.017. Use of public or private property or facilities
§ 32.1-48.2. Regulation of Commissioner requiring vaccination or inoculation of dogs
§ 32.1-48.3. Regulations of Commissioner covering local ordinances and requirements
§ 32.1-48.4. Commissioner to cooperate with local governing bodies and agencies
§ 32.1-49. Tuberculosis required to be reported
§ 32.1-53. Facilities and contracts for treatment of tuberculosis patients
§ 32.1-54. Commissioner authorized to charge patients for care
§ 32.1-55.1. Anonymous testing sites for human immunodeficiency virus
§ 32.1-56. Information to be provided patients
§ 32.1-57. Examination, testing and treatment; failure to comply with order of examination
§ 32.1-58. Persons convicted of certain crimes to be examined, tested and treated
§ 32.1-59. Examination and treatment in certain institutions
§ 32.1-60. Prenatal tests required
§ 32.1-62. Procedure upon infant's birth
§ 32.1-63. Duty of physician, midwife or nurse noting ophthalmia neonatorum
§ 32.1-64. Duty of Board to provide for treatment
§ 32.1-64.1. Virginia Hearing Loss Identification and Monitoring System
§ 32.1-65. Certain newborn screening required
§ 32.1-65.1. Critical congenital heart defect screening test required
§ 32.1-66. Commissioner to notify physicians; reports to Commissioner
§ 32.1-67. Duty of Board for follow-up and referral protocols; regulations
§ 32.1-67.1. Confidentiality of records; prohibition of discrimination
§ 32.1-69. Records confidential; disclosure of results of screening
§ 32.1-69.1. Virginia Congenital Anomalies Reporting and Education System
§ 32.1-69.1:1. Dissemination of information regarding birth defects
§ 32.1-69.3. Virginia Cord Blood Bank Initiative established
§ 32.1-69.4. Publication of information regarding cord blood education
§ 32.1-70.2. Collection of cancer case information by the Commissioner
§ 32.1-71.01. Penalties for unauthorized use of statewide cancer registry
§ 32.1-71.02. Notification of cancer patients of statewide cancer registry reporting
§ 32.1-73. Failure to comply with provisions; grounds for revocation of license or permit
§ 32.1-73.5. Comprehensive statewide asthma management plan
§ 32.1-73.6. Implementation of state asthma management programs
§ 32.1-73.7. Department to be lead agency for youth suicide prevention
§ 32.1-73.8. Youth health risk behavior survey
§ 32.1-73.10. Advisory Council; report
§ 32.1-73.11. (Continued pursuant to Acts 2022, Sp. S. I, c. 2, item 299 D) Sunset
§ 32.1-73.12. Department to be lead agency for services for substance-exposed infants
§ 32.1-73.14. Rare Disease Council; purpose
§ 32.1-73.15. Powers and duties of the Council
§ 32.1-73.16. Membership; terms; quorum; meetings; staffing
§ 32.1-73.17. Rare Disease Council Fund
§ 32.1-73.18. Renal Disease Council; purpose