A. COMMUNICABLE DISEASE COMMUNICABLE PERIOD CONTACT DISINFECT HEALTH DEPARTMENT or DEPARTMENT HEALTH OFFICER ISOLATION OWNER PERSON PROPERTY QUARANTINE STUDENT
Definitions. As used in this article, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section.
An illness due to a specific infectious agent or its toxic products that arises through transmission of that agent or its products from an infected person, animal or inanimate reservoir to a susceptible host, either directly or indirectly through an intermediate plant or animal host, vector or the inanimate environment.
The time during which an infectious agent may be transferred directly or indirectly from an infected person to another person, from an infected animal to humans or from an infected person to animals.
A person or animal that has been in such association with an infected person or animal or inanimate object or a contaminated environment as to have had an opportunity to acquire infection.
The elimination of an infectious agent on a body surface in clothing, bedding, toys, surgical instruments or dressings, or other inanimate articles or substances, including water and food, by means of a chemical that is capable of destroying disease-causing organisms on inanimate objects with the exception of bacterial spores.
The City of Watertown Public Health Department.
The City of Watertown Health Officer.
As applied to patients, isolation represents separation for the period of communicability of infected persons or animals from others in such places and under such conditions as to prevent or limit the direct or indirect transmission of the infectious agent from those infected to those who are susceptible to infection or who may spread it to others.
A person who has legal title to a structure, building or dwelling or personal property or a person who has charge, care or control of a dwelling or unit of a dwelling as a tenant, occupant or as an agent of or executor, administrator, trustee or guardian of the estate of a person under this definition.
Any individual, business, corporation, firm, institution, public body or society, or any other entity.
Real or personal property.
The restriction of activities of infected or well persons or animals who have been exposed to a case of communicable disease during its period of communicability to prevent disease transmission during the incubation period if infection should occur.
Any person, regardless of age, who is enrolled in a day-care facility, preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle or high school or college or university.
B.
General provisions. Title. This article shall be referred to as the "City of Watertown Quarantine Ordinance."
C.
Responsibilities of Health Officer. The City of Watertown Health Officer or his/her designee will, upon the appearance of any communicable or transmittable disease with the potential to spread to the public within the City, investigate and take measures as enumerated below to protect the public health and prevent and suppress outbreak of disease and an epidemic.
D.
Communicable disease measures. If the Health Officer suspects or is informed of the existence of any communicable disease, the Health Officer will at once investigate and make or cause such examinations to be made as are necessary to diagnose a disease and determine appropriate communicable disease measures. The diagnostic report of a physician, a laboratory report, the notification or confirmatory report of a parent or caretaker of the person suspected to be exposed to or to have a communicable disease, or a reasonable belief in the existence of a communicable disease will allow the Health Officer to immediately quarantine, isolate, require restrictions, concurrent and terminal disinfectant or take other communicable disease measures in the manner, upon the persons or place of infection, and for the time specified in rules promulgated by the Department. If the local Health Officer is not a physician or if further information is needed, or where there is a reasonable doubt or disagreement in diagnosis and/or where advice is needed, he or she may seek consultation with a biological, epidemiological, medical or other public health consultant as quickly as possible. The Health Officer may order emergency medical treatment of such person if necessary. The Health Officer may seize or take possession of property for investigation and, if necessary, destroy or dispose of property if the property is infected with a communicable disease. Such orders shall be in writing and shall be effective immediately and served upon the person or place by personal service or certified mail.
(1)
Infected persons. In the event of the suspicion or existence of any communicable disease in any residence, household, establishment, school, gathering or business located within the City, and until the possibility or risk of contamination subsides to the satisfaction of the Health Officer, the Health Officer or his or her designee may investigate the residence, household, establishment, school, gathering or business and may issue an order isolating the occupants, forbidding gatherings and closing businesses and establishments, and placarding the building, and taking whatever other measures necessary to control and prevent the spread of the disease to members of the public until such time as the risk of contamination has subsided.
(2)
Infected student. In the event of the suspicion or existence of any communicable disease in a student of a college, day-care facility or school located within the City of Watertown, the student shall not be permitted to attend any college, day-care facility or school without written permission from his or her health care provider, and no teacher, principal or school nurse in any college, day-care facility or school shall allow any student affected by a communicable disease to attend said college, day-care facility or school except by the written permission of the student's health care provider.
E.
The Health Officer may require isolation of a person, quarantine of contacts, concurrent and terminal disinfection, or modified forms of these procedures as may be necessary. If deemed necessary, the Health Officer may make exceptions or arrangements concerning contact with the isolated person for purposes of medical treatment, religious support or visits from the immediate family, as long as suitable measures as determined or approved by the Health Officer are taken to prevent contamination.
F.
Discharge. The Health Officer may authorize the release of contacts or a person from isolation or quarantine when the Health Officer or designee is satisfied that the communicable period, if known, has lapsed or the risk of contamination has subsided, and if necessary, the contacts or person will pursue a prescribed course of medical treatment or therapy to ensure recovery from the disease prior to discharge.
G.
Cooperation of infected person or owner of business or establishment. The Public Health Department is required to perform an epidemiological investigation and to report threatened, suspected or diagnosed diseases to state and federal agencies and, therefore, requires certain medical and other information from the contacts, infected persons or infected persons' physician, or the location of infection, to identify the disease, to determine the cause or source, and to determine the communicable disease measures to be taken. The infected person or business or establishment where a disease appeared or which is suspected to be affected shall cooperate with the Health Officer or his or her designee and provide whatever information may be necessary for the Health Officer to fulfill those responsibilities, including allowing the Health Officer or his or designee access to property to test and take samples and perform whatever other investigative measures may be necessary, including preventing access by members of the public until such order is lifted by the Health Officer.
H.
Liability for costs and expenses. Expenses for diagnostic and necessary medical care, the expense of conducting examinations and investigative measures and tests for disease carriers made under the direction or approval of the Health Officer, food and other articles needed for the care of the infected person or contact may be charged against the infected person or contact or whoever is liable for the person's support as a special assessment. The infected person or contact shall be liable for the costs and expenses of maintaining quarantine and enforcing isolation of the quarantined area, except in the case of tuberculosis, in which case the City will bear the costs. Expenses for diagnostic and investigative measures performed in the course of an epidemiological investigation shall be charged against the business, establishment, entity or owner where the disease commenced or continued or was suspected to have commenced or continued.
I.
When the Health Officer deems it necessary that a person be quarantined or otherwise restricted in a separate place, the Health Officer shall remove or cause the removal of the person, if it can be done without danger to the person's health, to a suitable location of isolation.
J.
Confined or hospitalized person. When a person confined in a jail, prison, mental health institute, hospital or other public place of detention has a disease which the Health Officer deems dangerous to the health of other residents or the public, the officer may in writing order the removal or isolation of the person to a hospital or place of safety to be provided for and safely kept. Upon recovery, the person shall be returned; and if the person was committed by a court or under process, the removal order or a copy shall be returned by the local Health Officer to the committing court officer.
K.
Penalties. Where any person knowingly violates the provisions of this article or where intent to violate the provisions of this article is manifested, the Health Officer or his or her designee is authorized to take whatever reasonable steps are necessary to ensure enforcement of departmental rules and local and state laws for the prevention and control of communicable diseases.
L.
Appeal. Any person aggrieved by an order of the Health Officer may appeal in writing, within 14 days of issuance of the notice and order, addressed to the Board of Health, which shall schedule a hearing no more than 14 days from receipt of the appeal. The decision of the Board of Health shall be delivered to the appellant no more than seven days following the date of hearing. Appeal of the Board of Health's decision may be made to the county circuit court in accordance with state statute. The filing of the appeal does not stay quarantine or other order from the Public Health Department.