(a) Every physician or other person who examines or treats a person having a sexually transmitted disease shall instruct the person in measures for preventing the spread of the disease, and to inform him or her of the necessity of taking treatment until cured. (b) Any person who has been examined and found infected, or is being treated for a sexually transmitted disease as provided by this section, shall follow the directions given by the treating physician or other person and take precautions as are necessary and are recommended. Any person starting to take treatment shall continue the treatment until discharged by the physician or other person treating him or her.
(c) Any infected person who fails to return for further treatment within ten days after the last date set by the physician or other person for the patient to return for further treatment, without lawful excuse therefor, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, shall be punished as provided in section twenty-six of this article.
(d) After the expiration of the ten days provided in subsection (c) of this section, the physician or other person to whom the patient should have returned for treatment shall, unless he or she has knowledge of good reasons why the patient failed to return, make a report of the facts in the case to the local health officer having proper jurisdiction. The local health officer shall at once make an investigation to ascertain why the patient failed to return, and shall take any steps necessary in the matter to protect the public health, including obtaining the arrest, detention and quarantine of the patient.
Structure West Virginia Code
Article 4. Sexually Transmitted Diseases
§16-4-1. Diseases Designated as Sexually Transmitted
§16-4-2. Investigations by Local Health Officers
§16-4-3. Medical Clinics and Detention Houses
§16-4-4. Evidence of Infection
§16-4-5. Examination of Convicts; Liability for Expenses
§16-4-6. Reports by Physicians
§16-4-7. False Report or Information
§16-4-8. Blanks and Fees for Reports
§16-4-11. Precautions as to Exposure to Disease
§16-4-12. Persons Not Under Treatment
§16-4-13. Sources of Infection
§16-4-14. Issuance of Warrant or Order as to Custody
§16-4-15. Form and Execution of Warrant
§16-4-16. Hearing on Warrant; Detention
§16-4-17. Release From Detention
§16-4-18. Employment of Infected Person
§16-4-19. Voluntary Submission to Examination and Treatment; Charges; Disposition of Money Collected
§16-4-20. Communication of Disease; Certificate
§16-4-23. Costs and Expenses of Enforcement; Jointly Established Places of Detention
§16-4-24. Offenses by Druggists
§16-4-25. Advertisements Concerning Venereal Disease, etc.; Penalty; Exceptions
§16-4-26. Offenses Generally; Penalties; Jurisdiction of Justices; Complaints
§16-4-27. Additional Power and Authority of Local Health Officers