Reporting Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)

On this page:
What to report
How to report
Submitting clinical materials
Who is required to report
More about infectious disease reporting
More about SARS

What to report

• Suspect and probable cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) must be reported to MDH immediately 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
   
• In the event of SARS or another severe respiratory disease outbreak, cases of health care workers who have patient contact and are hospitalized with pneumonia or Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) must be reported to MDH immediately 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

How to report SARS

• Call 651-201-5414 or 877-676-5414 immediately to report SARS.
  24-7 Phone Reporting
  This disease must be reported immediately by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Submitting clinical materials

For SARS, submission of clinical materials (isolate, if available) to MDH is required by rule.

• Clinical Materials 
  Clinical materials must be submitted according to these guidelines.
   
• Each case should be discussed with a member of the MDH SARS investigative team at 651-201-5414 or 1-877-676-5414 when reporting disease, prior to the submission of specimens.

Who is required to report

• Health care practitioners (health care facilities, medical laboratories, and in certain circumstances veterinarians and veterinary medical laboratories) are required to report disease to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) under Minnesota state law.
  • Unless previously reported, every licensed health care provider who provides care to any patient who has, is suspected of having, or has died from a reportable disease is required to report.
• Any person in charge of any institution, school, child care facility, or camp is also required to report disease to MDH.
   
• Persons Required to Report Disease
  More information about who is required to report disease.

More about infectious disease reporting

• Infectious Disease Reporting
  Find out which infectious diseases must be reported by law in Minnesota, who is required to report diseases, how each disease can be reported, and download the appropriate forms.

More about Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
  MDH comprehensive SARS resource page.