Infectious Disease Control

Infectious diseases still occur frequently throughout the world and constant vigilance is required to prevent the reappearance of infectious diseases.

Health authorities depend on medical practitioners for information on the incidence of infectious diseases and notification is vital in efforts to prevent or control the spread of infection. The Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations require Medical Practitioners to notify the State Government whenever cases of certain Notifiable Diseases are confirmed. This enables the Department of Health to ensure that the sources of the disease and possible contacts that may be at risk are properly investigated.

In some instances, Council’s Environmental Health Team are involved in the investigations, particularly when a food-borne disease is involved or the patient is a food handler.

The Blue Book: Guidelines for the Control of Infectious Diseases helps assist in the prevention and control of infectious diseases. This book provides information on all the diseases that are notifiable in Victoria. This book is not intended to replace professional advice. If you believe you have an infectious disease, please visit your local General Practitioner as soon as possible.

The School Exclusion Table lists the minimum time that children should be excluded from school and day care centres for particular diseases or conditions.

Head lice can affect infants, adolescents and adults. Head lice can be present on the scalp and in hair for weeks or even months before they are detected. Not all head lice cause an itch.

If a school aged child does have head lice, they should be excluded from school and readmitted following appropriate treatment. As a parent you are responsible for checking your child’s hair regularly for head lice, and if lice are found, they must be treated effectively.

Head lice are easier to combat with a community approach. If you find head lice in your family, please tell anyone who may have come into contact with that family member, such as their friends and/or notifying the school. This gives people outside of your home the opportunity to stop the spread of head lice in their homes.

Please read the Department of Human Services fact sheets for more information on how to appropriately and effectively treat head lice.

Head Lice Fact Sheet for Hairdressers
Head Lice Management Guidelines
Treating and Controlling Head Lice

The Emergency Management Act 1986 requires the Glenelg Shire Council to develop a municipal emergency management plan which will assist the community in the prevention, response and recovery functions that are associated with an emergency event.

In 2009, Australia experienced a Human Influenza Pandemic which resulted in 37,700 Australians being affected with H1N1 (swine flu) influenza, although the likelihood of another Influenza pandemic is low, Council must ensure it has addressed such a threat within its emergency management responsibilities.

The Human Influenza Pandemic Plan was adopted by Council in June 2009 and is a sub plan of Council’s existing Municipal Emergency Management Plan.

The activation of this plan will be based on the phase level determined by Victoria’s Chief Health Officer at the time. The seven (7) phases highlight the degree of risk of a Human Influenza Pandemic occurring within Victoria.

Council will closely follow the determinations made by Victoria's Chief Health Officer and implement the directives as issued at the time to ensure the impact on our community is reduced where ever possible.

Human Influenza Pandemic Plan