About our infectious disease service
We respond to reports from doctors, nurses, midwives, healthcare workers, childcare centres, schools, hospitals, and laboratories as well as the community about significant risks to public health.
We work closely with hospitals, general practices, aged care and childcare staff, the public health network within NSW and other agencies to control and prevent the spread of infectious diseases, and to improve public health practice and guidelines through education and research.
We also provide information to the public, businesses and health professionals on public health aspects of infectious diseases, guidelines for exclusion from childcare, school or work and medications and treatments that prevent spread of disease.
About infectious diseases
How infectious diseases spread
Infectious diseases are illnesses caused by germs or organisms that pass from one person or animal to another.
Ways diseases can spread
- Direct contact with an infected person.
This can happen through:- touching (for example, staphylococcus)
- sexual contact (for example, gonorrhoea, HIV)
- contact with faeces (for example, hepatitis A).
- Contact with contaminated objects or surfaces.
This can include:- food (for example, salmonella)
- blood (for example, HIV, hepatitis B)
- water (for example, cholera).
- Bites from infected insects or animals.
For example, mosquitoes can spread Ross River fever, and bats can spread lyssavirus. - Breathing in airborne germs.
This happens when germs travel through the air, such as with tuberculosis or measles.
The law in NSW, in particular the NSW Public Health Act 2010, requires doctors, laboratories, hospitals, aged care facilities, schools, and child-care centres to notify certain communicable diseases or medical conditions to the Public Health Unit.
See NSW Health infectious diseases for lists of notifiable diseases and notification forms.
Anyone in the community can report their concerns about cases of communicable diseases in Western Sydney to our Public Health Unit.
Notification of diseases allows us to work with other health workers to identify the source of diseases and ensure appropriate public health action is taken to prevent further spread.
See NSW Health infectious diseases for lists of notifiable diseases and notification forms.
To report an infectious disease or an unusual disease outbreak, contact the Western Sydney LHD Public Health Unit:
Phone: (02) 9840 3603
Email: WSLHD-CommunicableDiseases@health.nsw.gov.au - include your facility name, contact details and number of symptomatic cases.
Fax: (02) 9840 3591
- NSW Health infectious disease - General information on infectious diseases for patients, community members and professionals
- NSW Health Infectious diseases fact sheets
- NSW Multicultural Health in-language infectious diseases fact sheets
- NSW Health Infectious diseases alerts
- If you are travelling overseas please register for SMS alerts on Australian Government Smartraveller and speak to your local doctor about travel vaccinations and preventative measures to protect yourself against illness.
- NSW Food Authority - Food poisoning, information about keeping you and your family safe by reducing the risk of food poisoning.
- NSW Food Authority - Food safety complaints.
Managing outbreaks in facilities
Our Public Health Unit is available to assist childcare centre managers and their staff in managing and controlling outbreaks of diseases within facilities.
How to report an outbreak
If you are reporting a COVID-19, Influenza, RSV or gastro outbreak in a childcare, or family day care centre, email your facility name, contact details and number of symptomatic cases to the Public Health Unit at WSLHD-CommunicableDiseases@health.nsw.gov.au and a team member will respond to your email quickly.
Or you can contact the Western Sydney LHD Public Health Unit on (02) 9840 3603.
Helpful links
- NSW Health Viral gastroenteritis – including controlling viral outbreaks
- NSW Health Gastro pack for childcare centres
- NHMRC Staying healthy guidelines – preventing infectious disease in early childhood education and care services.
Our Public Health Unit (PHU) provides support and advice to residential aged care facilities (RACFs) located in Western Sydney on various aspects of disease and outbreak management.
- Under the NSW Public Health Act, residential aged care facilities are legally required to notify suspected outbreaks of respiratory or gastrointestinal illness to their local PHU.
- Residential aged care facilities should contact the PHU as soon as possible if they suspect an outbreak:
- An acute respiratory illness (ARI) outbreak is defined as two or more cases of COVID-19, influenza or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) during a 72-hour period.
- A gastrointestinal illness outbreak is defined as two or more people with sudden onset of diarrhoea or vomiting at any one time.
How to report an outbreak
If you are reporting a COVID-19, Influenza, RSV or gastro outbreak in residential aged care facility (RACF) please email your facility name, contact details and number of symptomatic cases to the Public Health Unit at WSLHD-CommunicableDiseases@health.nsw.gov.au and a team member will respond to your email quickly.
Or you can contact the Western Sydney LHD Public Health Unit on (02) 9840 3603.
Helpful links
COVID-19
- Respiratory infection advice to residential aged care facilities (RACFs)
- National guidelines for the prevention, control and public health management of outbreaks of acute respiratory infection in residential care facilities
Gastroenteritis illnesses
For the most up-to-date resources for disability care facilities outbreak management, see the NSW Health Guidance for Disability Care Facilities on the Public Health Management of Acute Respiratory Infections (including COVID-19, Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus)
All disability care facilities with more than 6 residents are recommended to follow this guideline.
Disability care facilities with up to 6 residents can be managed as households and should follow the NSW Health household and close contact guidelines.
Under current NSW Guidance, a disability care facility COVID-19/Influenza outbreak is defined as:
- Two or more residents test positive for COVID-19/Influenza/RSV within a 72-hour period.
How to report an outbreak
If you are reporting a COVID-19, Influenza, RSV or gastro outbreak in a residential disability care facility (RDCF), email your facility name, contact details and number of symptomatic cases to the Public Health Unit at WSLHD-CommunicableDiseases@health.nsw.gov.au and a team member will respond to your email quickly.
Or you can contact the Western Sydney LHD Public Health Unit on (02) 9840 3603.
Helpful links
Contact us
Phone: (02) 9840 3603
After hours: Phone (02) 8890 5555 (Westmead Hospital) - ask for the public health officer on call.
Email: WSLHD-CommunicableDiseases@health.nsw.gov.au - include your facility name, contact details and number of symptomatic cases.
Fax: (02) 9840 3591