AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services. Community Health and Well-Being. Division of Population Health. Office of Communicable Diseases
SERIES: 31426
TITLE: Communicable disease outbreak files
DATES: 1981-
ARRANGEMENT: Database.
DESCRIPTION: When investigating events of communicable diseases in Utah, the Office of Communicable Diseases identifies outbreaks and links together information from connected events into outbreak files. These outbreak files can include additional information not associated with any individual cases or events. Outbreak data is also sometimes stored within case files, but has broader relevance. This series covers that data, anything in the outbreak file that is not in a case file, or in an outbreak-associated case file with relevance to the outbreak.
See Utah Code 26B-1-202(2)(y,aa-dd) (2025), 26B-8-402 (2023), and Utah Administrative Code R386-702 (2024).
Records include outbreak investigation information, including: case-contact information, facility information, workplace information; non-clinical specimen test results, clinical test results not included in a case file; legal records if applicable; investigation notes and analyses. To protect the data's privacy and security, personal data such as contact and demographic information may be removed from records before final disposition. This is typically done when the individual case file does not require additional follow up in the future.
Privacy annotation:
List of personal data included: demographic, contact, and sometimes clinical information not otherwise included in case files.
Purpose personal data is collected, maintained, or used: Investigation, disease surveillance, intervention, contact tracing, research, reporting to public health authorities, and fulfilling legal obligations if applicable.
Legal authority for collecting, keeping, or using personal data: See above.
RETENTION
Retain permanently
DISPOSITION
May Transfer to Archives.
RETENTION AND DISPOSITION AUTHORIZATION
Retention and disposition for this series were specifically approved by the Records Management Committee.
APPROVED: 03/2026
FORMAT MANAGEMENT
Computer data files: Retain in Office permanently and then transfer to State Archives with authority to weed.
Paper: Retain in Office permanently and then transfer to State Archives with authority to weed.
APPRAISAL
Administrative Historical Legal
Utah Administrative Code R386-702. These records are historical because they provide evidence of governmental deliberations, decisions, and actions relating to major social, economic, and environmental issues. They also provide evidence of the significant effects of governmental programs and actions on individuals, communities, and the natural and man-made environment, and contribute substantially to knowledge and understanding of the people and communities of our state.
PRIMARY DESIGNATION
Exempt. Utah Code 26B-7-217 through -220