Wisconsin requires reporting to a local health officer immediately, and
within 24 hours to the Electronic Disease Surveillance System.
This is the national center manned by the CDC that collects and
monitors disease trends and outbreaks.
Most states have, also have a catchall reporting category for
unusual occurrences of disease.
So, under our hypothetical ERS outbreak, Metropolitan General Hospital
would be required to report the incidences of ERS to the local and or
state health department.
The health department would then report the incidents to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.
Reporting requirements are always in place and
are not depending upon whether an emergency is declared or not.
Now the CDC has noticed that New Geneva is not the only jurisdiction
with an outbreak of ERS.
In fact, many healthcare providers in many cities in New Geneva
have reported laboratory confirmed incidences of ERS.
Based upon this information,
the CDC has determined that there is an epidemic of ERS in New Geneva.
So what can the state of New Geneva do?
For one thing, the governor can declare an emergency.
If an epidemic does occur, it is almost certain that an emergency will be declared
at either the state or local level.