Notification class
Class 1 notifiable eventHealth care providers report it immediately on suspicion to the Medical Officer of Health at their parish health department, or to the National Surveillance Unit, within 24 hours of contact.
Category
Water-borne diseases

Case definition

Profuse, watery diarrhoea rapidly leads to dehydration or death, especially in persons 5 years of age and older.

Specimen

Stool specimen in Cary-Blair Media to NPHL. DO NOT REFRIGERATE AND DO NOT SEND ON ICE.

Laboratory

National Public Health Lab (Bacteriology Section)

Timeline for investigation

24 hours

Source: National Surveillance Manual

How it’s monitored

Notified as it occurs and followed up with an investigation report. The weekly bulletin gives confirmed cases for the year to date, beside last year’s.

The figures

The National Surveillance Unit publishes the latest figures every week.

For health professionals