Notifiable diseases
There are 33 diseases that must, by law, be reported to the Department. These are notifiable diseases and include infections such as Salmonella, Dysentery, Tuberculosis, Campylobacter and rubella. The Food Safety Unit is responsible for investigating the source and controlling the spread of both notifiable and some non-notifiable diseases.
Enquiries regarding diagnosis of illness and treatment should always be made to your doctor. If, however, you suspect a particular food has caused you illness or would like advice on control of infection (such as exclusions from work or school) please feel free to contact us:
The Food Safety Unit
Department of Environment
Food and Agriculture
Thie Slieau Whallian
Foxdale Road
St John's
IM4 3AS
Telephone:+44 1624 685894
Email:Send Email
Further information on some notifiable diseases:
Statutory Notifications
Any Clinician suspecting an infectious disease is required by Law under the Isle of Man Public Health Act 1990, Section II to notify the Public Health Directorate.
The prime purpose of notifications is to expedite detection of possible outbreaks and epidemics. Clinical suspicion of a notifiable disease is all that is required.
The Director of Public Health requests that Doctors do not wait for laboratory confirmation before notification as waiting may have Public Health implications.
Statutory Notifications are an important way of:
monitoring trends in infectious diseases.
Alerting the Public Health Directorate ensures that immediate action is taken to prevent the spread of the disease.
Enabling Public Health to measure the incidence rates of an infectious disease and monitor changes which could signal an outbreak which may need further investigation and the introduction of special control measures.
