65-119. Duties and powers of local health officers; contagious diseases; confidentiality of information; disclosure, when. (a) Any county or joint board of health or local health officer having knowledge of any infectious or contagious disease, or of a death from such disease, within their jurisdiction, shall immediately exercise and maintain a supervision over such case or cases during their continuance, seeing that all such cases are properly cared for and that the provisions of this act as to isolation, restriction of communication, quarantine and disinfection are duly enforced. The county or joint board of health or local health officer shall communicate without delay all information as to existing conditions to the secretary of health and environment. The local health officer shall confer personally, if practicable, otherwise by letter, with the person in attendance upon the case, as to its future management and control. The county or joint board of health or local health officer is hereby empowered and authorized to prohibit public gatherings when necessary for the control of any and all infectious or contagious disease.

(b) Any disclosure or communication of information relating to infectious or contagious diseases required to be disclosed or communicated under subsection (a) of this section shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed or made public beyond the requirements of subsection (a) of this section or subsection (a) of K.S.A. 65-118, except as otherwise permitted by subsection (c) of K.S.A. 65-118.

History: L. 1901, ch. 285, § 3; R.S. 1923, 65-119; L. 1953, ch. 283, § 2; L. 1974, ch. 352, § 8; L. 1976, ch. 262, § 2; L. 1979, ch. 189, § 2; July 1.