[Adopted 11-18-2014 by Ord. No. 14-29]
A.Â
COMMUNICABLE DISEASE
COMMUNICABLE PERIOD
CONTACT
DISINFECT
HEALTH DEPARTMENT or DEPARTMENT
HEALTH OFFICER
ISOLATION
OWNER
PERSON
PROPERTY
QUARANTINE
STUDENT
Definitions. As used in this article, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section.
An illness due to a specific infectious agent or its toxic
products that arises through transmission of that agent or its products
from an infected person, animal or inanimate reservoir to a susceptible
host, either directly or indirectly through an intermediate plant
or animal host, vector or the inanimate environment.
The time during which an infectious agent may be transferred
directly or indirectly from an infected person to another person,
from an infected animal to humans or from an infected person to animals.
A person or animal that has been in such association with
an infected person or animal or inanimate object or a contaminated
environment as to have had an opportunity to acquire infection.
The elimination of an infectious agent on a body surface
in clothing, bedding, toys, surgical instruments or dressings, or
other inanimate articles or substances, including water and food,
by means of a chemical that is capable of destroying disease-causing
organisms on inanimate objects with the exception of bacterial spores.
The City of Watertown Public Health Department.
The City of Watertown Health Officer.
As applied to patients, isolation represents separation for
the period of communicability of infected persons or animals from
others in such places and under such conditions as to prevent or limit
the direct or indirect transmission of the infectious agent from those
infected to those who are susceptible to infection or who may spread
it to others.
A person who has legal title to a structure, building or
dwelling or personal property or a person who has charge, care or
control of a dwelling or unit of a dwelling as a tenant, occupant
or as an agent of or executor, administrator, trustee or guardian
of the estate of a person under this definition.
Any individual, business, corporation, firm, institution,
public body or society, or any other entity.
Real or personal property.
The restriction of activities of infected or well persons
or animals who have been exposed to a case of communicable disease
during its period of communicability to prevent disease transmission
during the incubation period if infection should occur.
Any person, regardless of age, who is enrolled in a day-care
facility, preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle or high school
or college or university.
B.Â
General provisions. Title. This article shall be referred to as the
"City of Watertown Quarantine Ordinance."
C.Â
Responsibilities of Health Officer. The City of Watertown Health
Officer or his/her designee will, upon the appearance of any communicable
or transmittable disease with the potential to spread to the public
within the City, investigate and take measures as enumerated below
to protect the public health and prevent and suppress outbreak of
disease and an epidemic.
D.Â
Communicable disease measures. If the Health Officer suspects or
is informed of the existence of any communicable disease, the Health
Officer will at once investigate and make or cause such examinations
to be made as are necessary to diagnose a disease and determine appropriate
communicable disease measures. The diagnostic report of a physician,
a laboratory report, the notification or confirmatory report of a
parent or caretaker of the person suspected to be exposed to or to
have a communicable disease, or a reasonable belief in the existence
of a communicable disease will allow the Health Officer to immediately
quarantine, isolate, require restrictions, concurrent and terminal
disinfectant or take other communicable disease measures in the manner,
upon the persons or place of infection, and for the time specified
in rules promulgated by the Department. If the local Health Officer
is not a physician or if further information is needed, or where there
is a reasonable doubt or disagreement in diagnosis and/or where advice
is needed, he or she may seek consultation with a biological, epidemiological,
medical or other public health consultant as quickly as possible.
The Health Officer may order emergency medical treatment of such person
if necessary. The Health Officer may seize or take possession of property
for investigation and, if necessary, destroy or dispose of property
if the property is infected with a communicable disease. Such orders
shall be in writing and shall be effective immediately and served
upon the person or place by personal service or certified mail.
(1)Â
Infected persons. In the event of the suspicion or existence of any
communicable disease in any residence, household, establishment, school,
gathering or business located within the City, and until the possibility
or risk of contamination subsides to the satisfaction of the Health
Officer, the Health Officer or his or her designee may investigate
the residence, household, establishment, school, gathering or business
and may issue an order isolating the occupants, forbidding gatherings
and closing businesses and establishments, and placarding the building,
and taking whatever other measures necessary to control and prevent
the spread of the disease to members of the public until such time
as the risk of contamination has subsided.
(2)Â
Infected student. In the event of the suspicion or existence of any
communicable disease in a student of a college, day-care facility
or school located within the City of Watertown, the student shall
not be permitted to attend any college, day-care facility or school
without written permission from his or her health care provider, and
no teacher, principal or school nurse in any college, day-care facility
or school shall allow any student affected by a communicable disease
to attend said college, day-care facility or school except by the
written permission of the student's health care provider.
E.Â
The Health Officer may require isolation of a person, quarantine
of contacts, concurrent and terminal disinfection, or modified forms
of these procedures as may be necessary. If deemed necessary, the
Health Officer may make exceptions or arrangements concerning contact
with the isolated person for purposes of medical treatment, religious
support or visits from the immediate family, as long as suitable measures
as determined or approved by the Health Officer are taken to prevent
contamination.
F.Â
Discharge. The Health Officer may authorize the release of contacts
or a person from isolation or quarantine when the Health Officer or
designee is satisfied that the communicable period, if known, has
lapsed or the risk of contamination has subsided, and if necessary,
the contacts or person will pursue a prescribed course of medical
treatment or therapy to ensure recovery from the disease prior to
discharge.
G.Â
Cooperation of infected person or owner of business or establishment.
The Public Health Department is required to perform an epidemiological
investigation and to report threatened, suspected or diagnosed diseases
to state and federal agencies and, therefore, requires certain medical
and other information from the contacts, infected persons or infected
persons' physician, or the location of infection, to identify the
disease, to determine the cause or source, and to determine the communicable
disease measures to be taken. The infected person or business or establishment
where a disease appeared or which is suspected to be affected shall
cooperate with the Health Officer or his or her designee and provide
whatever information may be necessary for the Health Officer to fulfill
those responsibilities, including allowing the Health Officer or his
or designee access to property to test and take samples and perform
whatever other investigative measures may be necessary, including
preventing access by members of the public until such order is lifted
by the Health Officer.
H.Â
Liability for costs and expenses. Expenses for diagnostic and necessary
medical care, the expense of conducting examinations and investigative
measures and tests for disease carriers made under the direction or
approval of the Health Officer, food and other articles needed for
the care of the infected person or contact may be charged against
the infected person or contact or whoever is liable for the person's
support as a special assessment. The infected person or contact shall
be liable for the costs and expenses of maintaining quarantine and
enforcing isolation of the quarantined area, except in the case of
tuberculosis, in which case the City will bear the costs. Expenses
for diagnostic and investigative measures performed in the course
of an epidemiological investigation shall be charged against the business,
establishment, entity or owner where the disease commenced or continued
or was suspected to have commenced or continued.
I.Â
When the Health Officer deems it necessary that a person be quarantined
or otherwise restricted in a separate place, the Health Officer shall
remove or cause the removal of the person, if it can be done without
danger to the person's health, to a suitable location of isolation.
J.Â
Confined or hospitalized person. When a person confined in a jail,
prison, mental health institute, hospital or other public place of
detention has a disease which the Health Officer deems dangerous to
the health of other residents or the public, the officer may in writing
order the removal or isolation of the person to a hospital or place
of safety to be provided for and safely kept. Upon recovery, the person
shall be returned; and if the person was committed by a court or under
process, the removal order or a copy shall be returned by the local
Health Officer to the committing court officer.
K.Â
Penalties. Where any person knowingly violates the provisions of
this article or where intent to violate the provisions of this article
is manifested, the Health Officer or his or her designee is authorized
to take whatever reasonable steps are necessary to ensure enforcement
of departmental rules and local and state laws for the prevention
and control of communicable diseases.
L.Â
Appeal. Any person aggrieved by an order of the Health Officer may
appeal in writing, within 14 days of issuance of the notice and order,
addressed to the Board of Health, which shall schedule a hearing no
more than 14 days from receipt of the appeal. The decision of the
Board of Health shall be delivered to the appellant no more than seven
days following the date of hearing. Appeal of the Board of Health's
decision may be made to the county circuit court in accordance with
state statute. The filing of the appeal does not stay quarantine or
other order from the Public Health Department.
A.Â
Infected animal. In the event of the suspicion or existence of any
communicable disease in an animal or bird within the City of Watertown,
the Health Officer or his or her designee may take whatever communicable
disease measures are necessary to investigate and to control and prevent
the spread of the disease to members of the public until such time
as the risk of contamination has subsided.
B.Â
Cooperation of owner. The Public Health Department is required to
perform an epidemiological investigation and report threatened, suspected
or diagnosed diseases to state and federal agencies and, therefore,
requires certain medical and veterinarian and other information from
the owners of the animal or animals suspected of having a communicable
disease. The owner of the animal infected or suspected to be infected
shall cooperate with the Health Officer or his or her designee and
provide whatever information is necessary, including veterinarian
records. The owner shall cooperate with the Health Officer or his
or her designee and provide whatever information may be necessary
for the Health Officer or his or designee to fulfill those responsibilities,
including allowing the Health Officer or his or her designee access
to property to test, take samples and perform whatever other investigative
measures may be necessary, including preventing access by members
of the public to property of the owner until such order is lifted
by the Health Officer.
C.Â
The Public Health Department may summarily issue quarantine orders
to prevent, suppress, control or eradicate communicable or transmittable
diseases which may affect domestic or exotic animals or birds in the
City, or to prevent animals or birds from being moved or commingled
pending further testing, diagnosis or investigation related to a suspected
disease. No person may move any animal or bird in violation of a quarantine
order or fail to comply with the terms and conditions of a quarantine
order or other Public Health Department order.
D.Â
Service of notice. A quarantine order under this article shall be
served upon a person having custody or control of the quarantined
animals or shall be posted on the premises affected by the quarantine
order. A quarantine order may be served by any of the following methods:
E.Â
Contents of order. A quarantine order issued under this article shall
contain the following information:
(1)Â
The name and address of a person having custody or control of the
quarantined animals, if known.
(2)Â
A description of the animals affected by the quarantine.
(3)Â
A description of the premises affected by the quarantine.
(4)Â
The reason or justification for the quarantine.
(5)Â
The duration of the order and all terms and conditions applicable
to the order.
(6)Â
Notice that a person adversely affected by the order may request
a hearing under this article.
F.Â
Proof of service. Service of a quarantine order may be proved by
affidavit or by certified mail return receipt.
G.Â
Liability for expenses. Expenses for diagnostic and necessary veterinarian
care, the expense of conducting examinations and investigative measures
and tests for disease carriers made under the direction or approval
of the Health Officer, food and other articles needed for the care
of the infected animal, costs and expenses of maintaining a quarantine
and enforcing isolation of quarantine areas shall be charged against
the owner of the animal.
H.Â
Penalties. Where any person knowingly violates the provisions of
this article or where intent to violate the provisions of this article
is manifested, the Health Officer or his or her designee is authorized
to take whatever reasonable steps are necessary to ensure enforcement
of departmental rules and local and state laws for the prevention
and control of communicable diseases.
I.Â
Appeal. Any person aggrieved by an order of the Health Officer may
appeal in writing, within 14 days of issuance of the notice and order,
addressed to the Board of Health, which shall schedule a hearing no
more than 14 days from receipt of the appeal. The decision of the
Board of Health shall be delivered to the appellant no more than seven
days following the date of hearing. The City elects to not be bound
by the provisions of Ch. 68, Wis. Stats. Appeal of the Board of Health's
decision may be made to the Jefferson County Circuit Court in accordance
with state statute. The filing of the appeal does not stay quarantine
or other order from the Public Health Department.
No one having charge or control of any schoolhouse or church, or of any room or building used for school or church purposes, or for any public assembly in this City shall permit the body of any person dead from smallpox, diphtheria, scarlet fever, Asiatic cholera, or other dangerous contagious diseases to be taken into such building or room for the purpose of holding funeral services over such body; and no sexton, undertaker or other person having charge or direction of the burial of any body dead from any of these diseases herein mentioned shall permit the casket or coffin containing such body to be opened in the presence of any child; neither shall any child be permitted to act as pallbearer or carrier at any such funeral; and the Health Officer shall have power to prevent the attendance at the funeral or burial of any person dead from dangerous contagious diseases of all persons other than those necessary for the interment of such body; and any person who violates any of the provisions of this section shall be subject to the general penalty provisions (§ 1-4) of the Code.
