Post-Event
Operational Issues
Public
Health Response to a Confirmed Smallpox Case
Requiring that
all suspected smallpox cases be immediately reportable to public
health authorities will assist with more rapid implementation of
control measures required for that case and their contacts and
will help define the scope of the outbreak. Mandatory varicella
case reporting will help prevent confusion that can occur with
simultaneous outbreaks of these two febrile rash illnesses and
may help identify smallpox cases that were initially believed to
be varicella cases.
Investigation
of cases will be very detailed in the early phases of the outbreak
to help define the mode of exposure and the population at immediate
risk but may become more simplified and targeted towards assisting
with contact identification and tracing later if ongoing transmission
is occurring.
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