Communicable diseases are a continuing menace to all people. Although some diseases have been conquered by antibiotics and vaccines, new ones are constantly emerging (such as HIV/ AIDS, Legionnaires’ disease), while others re-emerging (such as
malaria,
shigellosis).
In 2000, the communicable disease control law had been amended to cope with emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. The important amendatory contents are revision of statutory communicable diseases (3 class, 29 → 5 groups,63), shortening
of
the
reporting time(group Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅳ, immediately ; group Ⅲ, Ⅴ, within 7 days), and introduction of sentinel surveillance system, EDI reporting system, and reporting criteria.
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