Alameda County Health Care Services Public Health Department
g_translate Google Translate

Translate This Page

Google Translation Disclaimer

Translation of pages on Covid-19 website is performed by Google Translate, a third party service which Alameda County has no control over. The service provides automated computer translations that are only an approximation of the websites' original content.

Alameda County does not warrant the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of any information translated by Google Translate. These translations should not be considered exact renderings of the original Covid-19 web site. Some portions of the site will not be translated at all, which includes but is not limited to buttons, graphics, photos, and video content.

Skip To Content
COVID-19
  • Home Page
  • Data & Surveillance
    • COVID-19 Data
    • COVID-19 Modeling
  • Vaccines
    • Locations & Resources
    • Children and Youth Vaccine
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Community Advisory Group
    • Provider Vaccine Guidance
  • Masks & Face Coverings
  • Testing & Treatment
    • Testing
    • Treatment
  • Long COVID
  • Isolation/Quarantine
    • Isolation & Quarantine
    • Contact Tracing
    • Isolation Housing
  • Outbreak Reporting Requirements
  • Long-term Care Facilities/Adult Day Program
  • Schools/Childcare
  • Workplace & Recovery
    • Workplace Guidance
    • Beyond The Blueprint
  • Community Resources
  • Response Updates
  • News & Media
    • Press Releases
    • Media Coverage
  • Contact Us

COVID-19 Case and Outbreak Reporting Requirements

Requirements by Setting

medical_services
Health Care Providers
night_shelter
Long-Term Care Facilities
house
Adult Day Programs & Adult Day Health Centers
local_hospital
Health Care Facilities
groups
Shelters & Congregate Living Facilities
local_police
Correctional Facilities
school
Schools, Childcare & Youth Congregate Settings
work
Workplaces

Case Reporting for Health Care Providers

Submit Confidential Morbidity Reports (CMRs) within 24 hours on patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection that have been hospitalized or have died. Providers should continue to report Multi-System Inflammatory Syndromes in Children (MIS-C).

  • Fax to 510-273-3944 or send by secure email to COVIDreport@acgov.org.

Laboratories must continue to report positive and negative results via Electronic Laboratory Reporting (ELR) or by fax within 24 hours.

Reporting Threshold for Long-Term Care Facilities

Long-term care facilities and long-term acute care hospitals must report the following to the Alameda County Public Health Department per AFL 20-75:
  • ≥1 probable or confirmed* COVID-19 cases in a resident or healthcare provider;
  • ≥3 or more cases of acute illness compatible with COVID-19 in residents with onset within a 72-hour period
*See CSTE position statement for probable and confirmed case definitions.

How to report: For facilities reporting their first outbreak, call 510-268-2785, Monday -Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. On weekends, call Alameda County Fire Dispatch at 925-422-7595 and ask to speak to the Public Health Duty Officer on call. 

For facilities that have previously had an outbreak of COVID-19, please report to 510-268-2785 or email LTCFOutbreak@acgov.org. More reporting information and guidance can be found on the Long-Term Care Facility page.

Reporting Threshold for Adult Day Programs & Adult Day Health Centers

Adult Day Programs and Adult Day Health Centers must report the following to the Alameda County Public Health Department:
  • ≥1 probable or confirmed* COVID-19 cases in a client/participant or facility staff
  • ≥3 or more cases of acute illness compatible with COVID-19 in in client/participant/staff with onset within a 72-hour period
*See CSTE position statement for probable and confirmed case definitions.

How to report: For facilities reporting their first outbreak, call 510-268-2785, Monday -Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

For facilities that have previously had an outbreak of COVID-19, please report to 510-268-2785 or email LTCFOutbreak@acgov.org.

Reporting Threshold for Health Care Facilities

Acute care facilities are required to report the following to the Alameda County Public Health Department per  CDPH AFL 23-09 :

  • ≥2 cases of probable* or confirmed* COVID-19 in a patient 4 or more days after admission for a non-COVID condition, with epi-linkage†;
  • ≥3 cases of suspect, probable or confirmed COVID-19 in HCP with epi-linkage in counties where the level of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the community is low to moderate, or
  • Any identified cluster of suspect, probable or confirmed COVID-19 in HCP with epi-linkage‡ in counties where the level of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the community is substantial or high (or ≥100/100,000 for 7 days)

*See CSTE position statement for probable and confirmed case definitions.

†Epi-linkage among patients is defined as overlap on the same unit or ward, or other patient care location (e.g., radiology suite), or having the potential to have been cared for by common HCP within a 7-day time period of each other. Determining epi-linkages requires judgment and may include weighing evidence whether or not patients had a common source of exposure.

‡Epi-linkage among HCP is defined as having the potential for close contact while working in the facility during the 7 days prior to the onset of symptoms; for example, worked on the same unit during the same shift, and no more likely sources of exposure identified outside the facility. Determining epi-linkages requires judgment and may include weighing evidence whether or not transmission took place in the facility, accounting for likely sources of exposure outside the facility.  

How to Report: 

Healthcare facilities with staff ONLY cases and contacts should complete the SPOT Intake Form for Workplaces.

Healthcare facilities reporting PATIENT AND STAFF cases should e-mail covidob@acgov.org and include the name and contact information of the reporter, facility name, number of employees or patients/residents involved, and a brief description. DO NOT include the names, date of birth, or any other protected health information of any persons diagnosed with or exposed to COVID-19 until a staff member from public health reaches out to you with instructions about how to securely report confidential information. More information about COVID-19 outbreak reporting for healthcare facilities and congregate living facilities can be found on the Healthcare Providers Page.

Outpatient health facilities, including dialysis facilities, emergency departments, urgent care, primary care, and dental offices must report the following to Alameda County Public Health Department per local reporting thresholds based on the reporting thresholds found on page 6 of the CSTE Proposed Investigation/Reporting Thresholds for COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings::

  • Ambulatory Special Settings:  ≥3 confirmed COVID-19 cases in patients or HCP with epi-linkage
  • Emergency Department, Urgent Care, Primary Care: ≥3 cases of suspect, probable or confirmed COVID-19 in HCP with epi-linkage

Epi-linkage among HCP is defined as having the potential to have been within 6ft for 15 minutes or longer while working in the facility during the 7 days prior to prior to the onset of symptoms; for example, worked on the same shift or proximity.

Epi-linkage among patients is defined as overlap on the same unit or ward or having the potential to have been cared for by common HCP within a 7-day time period of each other.

*See CSTE position statement for probable and confirmed case definitions.

How to Report:

Healthcare facilities with staff ONLY cases and contacts should complete the SPOT Intake Form for Workplaces.

Healthcare facilities reporting PATIENT AND STAFF cases should e-mail covidob@acgov.org and include the name and contact information of the reporter, facility name, number of employees or patients/residents involved, and a brief description. DO NOT include the names, date of birth, or any other protected health information of any persons diagnosed with or exposed to COVID-19 until a staff member from public health reaches out to you with instructions about how to securely report confidential information. More information about COVID-19 outbreak reporting for healthcare facilities and congregate living facilities can be found on the Healthcare Providers Page.

Reporting Threshold for Shelters & Congregate Living Facilities

UPDATE: The Isolation & Quarantine Hotel will no longer accept referrals after February 17, 2023. Facilities are urged to create a plan to safely isolate and/or quarantine all residents on-site as needed. Please refer to our Guide for On-site Isolation & Quarantine for Unlicensed Group Living Settings. If you require additional assistance with planning for this change, please email COVIDOB@acgov.org.

Congregate living facilities such as homeless shelters, residential treatment facilities, transitional housing facilities, room and board, group homes, and residential congregate living for youth must report the following to Alameda County Public Health Department per local reporting thresholds:
  • ≥1 COVID-19 cases within a 14-day period in residents and/or staff

How to Report: Email covidob@acgov.org and follow the Step-by-Step Instructions for Preventing & Controlling Outbreaks at the Facility. In the email, include the name and contact information of the reporter, facility name, number of employees or residents involved, and a brief description. DO NOT include the names, date of birth, or any other protected health information of any persons diagnosed with or exposed to COVID-19.

Then, complete the Shared Portal for Outbreak Tracking (SPOT) Intake Form. More information and guidance about COVID-19 outbreak management and reporting for congregate living facilities can be found on the Healthcare Providers Page.

Reporting Threshold for Correctional Facilities

County jails and juvenile detention centers must report the following to Alameda County Public Health Department in accordance with local reporting thresholds:

  • ≥1 COVID-19 cases within a 14-day period in an inmate, corrections staff and/or contracted staff

How to report: Email COVIDCorrections@acgov.org and include the name and contact information of the reporter, facility name, number of employees or inmates involved, and a brief description. DO NOT include protected health information (PHI) of any patients.

Reporting Threshold for Schools, Childcare & Youth Congregate Settings

Children and Youth Congregate Settings, including daycares, schools, camps, and youth sports programs must report the following to Alameda County Public Health Department per CDPH K-12 guidance and local reporting thresholds:

Setting

Number of Cases (e.g. the number of cases that need to be reported)

Elementary schools or schools with stable classrooms

5 or more positive COVID-19 cases within a 14-day period in an individual classroom

Secondary schools or shcools with students that change classrooms frequently 15 percent or more of a grade has tested positive for COVID-19 within a 14-day period
Child care programs 3 or more positive COVID-19 cases within a 14- day period
  • For child care programs with multiple classrooms/groups (e.g. child care centers), only report 3 or more cases in a 14-day period within a particular classroom/group
  • For child care programs with only one group (e.g. family child care homes), only report 3 or more cases for the entire child care program
Other (camp, youth center, extracurricular activity, youth sport, etc. 3 or more positive COVID-19 cases within a 14- day period
Higher Education 5% or more of the campus has tested positive for COVID-19 in a 14 day period. 

OR

If you are concerned about cases escalating rapidly on your campus or in a particular group of students, you should report the cases and reach out to COVIDOB@acgov.org.

 

Reporting Threshold for Workplaces

As of January 1, 2023, general workplaces are no longer required to report outbreaks (three or more COVID-19 cases among employees in an "exposed group" within a 14-day period) to their local health jurisdiction. AB 685 is no longer in effect and general workplaces should instead refer to AB 2693 and the Cal/OSHA Reporting Requirements FAQ for the most up-to-date COVID-19 case reporting and recording requirements. Reporting requirements for specific special settings are unchanged.  

Covered employers must continue to comply with the COVID-19 Non-Emergency Temporary Standards, for Cal/OSHA reporting requirements. Please visit: https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/coronavirus/.  

You are encouraged, but not required, to notify the Alameda County Public Health Department at COVIDOB@acgov.org and submit COVID-19+ employee cases to SPOT if any of the following occur:  

  • Any hospitalization or death associated with an outbreak.  
  • 11 or more cases in 2 weeks. 
  • You are concerned that you are unable to manage the outbreak at your facility using guidance provided on Alameda County Public Health COVID-19 website at https://covid-19.acgov.org/recovery. 
Alameda County Health Care Services Agency Public Health Department Coronovirus COVID-19
  • 510.268.2101
  • emailncov@acgov.org

© 2016 . All rights reserved.

  • Home Page
  • Data & Surveillance
  • Vaccines
  • Masks & Face Coverings
  • Testing & Treatment
  • Long COVID
  • Isolation/Quarantine
  • Outbreak Reporting Requirements
  • Long-term Care Facilities/Adult Day Program
  • Schools/Childcare
  • Workplace & Recovery
  • Community Resources
  • Response Updates
  • News & Media
  • Contact Us
Get Adobe Reader
CACHe
County of Alameda Community Helper
Alameda County Public Health Department logo