March 06, 2020 EMERGENCY RULE: Covid-19 Disease Reporting Requirements

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Mar 06, 2020 - The Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health (LDH/OPH), pursuant to the emergency rulemaking authority granted by R.S. 40:4(A)(13), hereby adopts the following Emergency Rule for the protection of public health. This Emergency Rule is promulgated specifically in accordance with R.S. 49:953(B) of the Administrative Procedure Act (R.S. 49:950, et seq.).  The LDH/OPH expressly finds that an imminent peril to the public health, safety, or welfare requires adoption of this rule on an emergency basis.

The LDH/OPH finds it necessary to add coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to the list of reportable diseases and conditions set forth in §105 of Part II of the Sanitary Code (LAC Title 51).  On January 30, 2020, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization declared the recent COVID-19 outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern” (PHEIC).  On January 31, 2020, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency (PHE) for the United States to aid the nation’s healthcare community in responding to COVID-19.

The following Emergency Rule, effective March 6, 2020, shall remain in effect for a maximum of 120 days, or until the final Rule is promulgated, whichever occurs first.

The Emergency Rule published in the Louisiana Register Vol.46, No.03 March 20, 2020.

Contact Information: Aliya Rubenstein - Rulemaking Liaison, Office of Public Health aliya.rubenstein@la.gov

Disclaimer: Please note that the official versions of the Emergency Rules are maintained by the Office of State Register’s website at http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/osr/osr.htm. Users are encouraged to visit the Office of State Register’s website for the official version.