Communicable Disease Program
The Communicable Disease Program provides investigation, surveillance, reporting
and prevention activities necessary to control communicable diseases and to protect
the health of the public.
- Surveillance and investigation of reported communicable diseases
- Collaboration with hospital, physicians, and laboratories in reporting diseases
- Education and information to the professional and lay communities
- Provide support and investigation of biological or chemical threats
Tuberculosis Program
- Physician review and recommendation (no charge)
- Treatment of disease and infection (no charge)
- Surveillance and investigation (no charge)
- TB Control - CDC
Communicable Disease Information for WNC Camps
BCHHS has developed a handbook for camp administrators and parents that gives basic
safety information for summer camps in WNC. The booklet contains information about
what parents can do beforehand to help ensure that kids are better protected while
they are away at camp.
Vector Borne Illness Prevention
Mosquitoes in Buncombe County can infect humans with dangerous diseases like LaCrosse
Encephalitis, West Nile Virus, or even Zika, all of which are very dangerous for
children. Mosquitoes don’t travel far from where they were born so, if you have
mosquitoes around your home, they probably hatched nearby. It only takes a VERY
small amount of standing water to hatch hundreds of mosquitoes.
Please, help us spread the word to our community. SIMPLE STEPS INCLUDE:
- TIP AND TOSS standing water from containers.
- Properly dispose of old tires that hold water. Check your child’s play area to make
sure that tire swings have holes drilled into them.
- Check your gutters to make sure that they are not holding water.
- Be sure that screens on windows and doors are in good repair.
- Fill tree holes with sand and rocks if possible.
- Use mosquito briquettes in ponds or other places where there is standing water that
is NOT circulating.
- Use mosquito repellent as directed on the label and wear protective clothing when
outside.
- Look around your community and take note of all the containers that can hold standing
water and take steps to eliminate them.
Please help us FIGHT THE BITE! If you have concerns about mosquitoes in your neighborhood,
contact Environmental Health at 250-5016.
For more information about encephalitis or mosquito-borne viruses contact the Disease
Control Division of Buncombe County Department of Health at 250-5109.
Feel free to print out this poster to encourage others to Tip and Toss!