Epidemiological investigations
What is an epidemiological investigation?- The Director of Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Special Self-Governing Province Governor, City/Province Governor, or Si/Gun/Gu Head may support the epidemiological investigator expenses, etc. required for duty fulfillment within the budget (Article 26, Subparagraph 4 of the “Enforcement Decree of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act”).
※ However, if necessary for preventing the prevalence of the infectious disease in other areas, the information on the results of epidemiological investigations must be provided to other medical institutions (proviso of Article 18 paragraph 1 of the “Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act”).
- The following details must be included in the epidemiological investigation (Article 12 paragraph 1 of the “Enforcement Decree of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act”):
· The personal information of patients of an infectious disease, probable patient of an infectious disease, or pathogen carrier (hereinafter referred to as “patient of an infectious disease, etc.”), or person suspected of contracting an infectious disease
· The date and place where a patient, etc. became infected with an infectious disease;
· The cause and route of infection for an infectious disease;
· The medical record of patients, etc., and person suspected of contracting an infectious disease
· Other matters necessary to reveal the cause of an infectious disease.
- The epidemiological investigations are conducted in the following manner (Article 14 and annexed Table No. 1-3 of the “Enforcement Decree of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act”):
· Written survey and interview
|
Classification |
Method of investigation |
|
Written survey |
- The written survey is conducted for patients, etc., and person suspected of contracting an infectious disease - The survey questionnaire will use the epidemiological investigation survey determined by the Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the epidemiological investigation may modify the questions for use according to the trend of the endemic. - The epidemiological investigation survey is composed of items to investigate the infection route and infection source. - The survey questionnaire is created by the epidemiological investigation team member through direct interviews of those who are subject to the survey. ※ However, in inevitable circumstances, the survey may be conducted by telephone, mail, electronic mail, etc. by considering the state of the survey target or the characteristics of the locations where the infectious disease occurred. |
|
Interview survey |
√ The interview survey is conducted for hygiene, sanitation, and environment managers of facilities or agencies that the infectious disease has occurred.
√ The interview contains matters regarding hygiene, sanitation, and environment control related to the occurrence of the infectious disease.
√ The interview survey must be conducted face-to-face between the epidemiological investigation team member and those who are subject to the interview survey.
※ However, in inevitable circumstances, the survey may be conducted by telephone, mail, electronic mail, etc. by considering the state of the interview target or the characteristics of the locations where the infectious disease occurred. |
· Collection and testing of biospecimens
√ The collection and testing of biospecimens are conducted for patients, etc. and person suspected of contracting an infectious disease.
√ The collection and testing of biospecimens must be conducted according to the “diagnostic standards for infectious diseases”.
√ The testing agency for biospecimens is an agency that is capable of confirming patients with an infectious disease and those suspected to have an infectious disease under Article 16-2(1) of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act.
√ The epidemiological investigation team submits the testing request and specimen to the testing agency to request for a test.
· Collection and testing of surface samples
√ The surface sample is collected from soil, water (water in the public facilities such as waterworks, groundwater, cooling tower, swimming pool, hot spring, and bathhouse), foods, tools (objects that can spread pathogens such as cooling appliances), and equipment that have been contaminated or are presumed to have been contaminated by pathogens.
√ The surface samples undergo the detection test for the pathogens that cause the corresponding infectious disease or the test that can indirectly identify contamination that may cause infection and the types of tests according to the sample are as follows:
|
Types of tests |
Sampling subjects |
|
Legionella detection test |
Water in waterworks, groundwater, and public facilities |
|
Enterohemorrhagic E. coli detection test |
Water in swimming pools, and water coolers and heaters |
|
Norovirus detection test |
Waterworks, groundwater, and preserved foods |
|
Testing of drinking water under the “Drinking Water Management Act” |
Water in the waterworks, groundwater, and water cooler/heater |
|
Food specification test under the Food Code |
Preserved food in a mass outbreak of intestinal infections |
|
Specification test for cooling appliances under the Food Code |
Cooking appliances in a mass outbreak of intestinal infections (such as cutting boards, knives, dishcloths, tableware, aquarium water, etc.) |
|
Water-borne protozoan detection test |
Waterworks, groundwater, swimming pool |
√ The epidemiological investigation team submits the testing request and specimen to the testing agency to request for a test.
√ The testing agency for surface samples is an agency capable of identifying patients with an infectious disease or those suspected to have an infectious disease determined by the Decree of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. However, the norovirus detection test for waterworks and groundwater will be conducted by either the National Institute of Environmental Research or the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
· Collection and testing of samples from insect or animal medium for the infectious disease
√ Tests are conducted to detect pathogens for the infectious disease from the corresponding insect medium (such as mosquitoes, mites, lice, fleas, etc.) and animal medium (such as cattle, pigs, hens and roosters, deer, boars, wild cats, meadow mice, etc.) who are determined to have an epidemiological connection with patients with an infectious disease or those who are presumed to have been exposed to the same risk.
√ The epidemiological investigation team submits the testing request and specimen to the testing agency to request for a test.
√ The testing agency for the detection of insect medium and animals for the infectious disease is an agency capable of identifying patients with an infectious disease or those who are suspected to have an infectious disease, which would be an agency prescribed under the Decree of the Ministry of Health and Welfare or the Animal And Plant Quarantine Agency or the municipal/provincial endemic prevention agency that assesses the disease properties through the disease diagnosis of livestock under Article 12 paragraph 1 of the “Act on the Prevention of Contagious Animal Diseases”.
· Investigations of medical records, etc., and interviews with medical doctors
√ Where patient of an infectious disease, etc., or person suspected of contracting an infectious disease have been treated at a hospital and clinic, the epidemiological investigation team may access medical records, etc., stipulated under Article 22 of the Medical Services Act (hereinafter referred to as “medical records, etc.”) of the patient of an infectious disease, etc. or probable patient of an infectious disease or interview the relevant medical doctor to identify the infection route, clinical trial trend, treatment result, status of spread to others, etc. of the infectious disease.
- The Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the Special Self-Governing Province Governor, the Special Self-Governing City Mayor, a Mayor/Governor, or the head of a Si/Gun/Gu shall each establish an epidemiological investigation team to conduct epidemiological investigations (Article 18(2) of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act).
- No one shall commit any of the following acts in the course of an epidemiological investigation conducted by the Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the Special Self-Governing Province Governor. The Special Self-Governing City Mayor, a Mayor/Do Governor, or the head of a Si/Gun/Gu (Article 18(3) of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act):
· Refusing, interfering with, or evading the epidemiological investigation without any justifiable ground;
· Making a false statement or presenting false materials;
· Intentionally omitting or concealing any fact.
Timing of epidemiological investigations- Epidemiological investigations will be conducted as necessary, as follows (Article 13 of the “Enforcement Decree of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act”):
· Where the Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency is required to conduct an epidemiological investigation:
√ Where the epidemiological investigation is to be conducted simultaneously in at least two Cities/Dos;
√ Where an urgent investigation is necessary, as to the outbreak or prevalence of an infectious disease or adverse reactions to vaccinations;
√ Where deemed that an epidemiological investigation conducted by the Special Self-Governing Province Governor, the Special Self-Governing City Mayor, or a City Mayor/Do Governor is insufficient or it is impracticable for a Mayor/Do Governor to conduct an epidemiological investigation;
· Where the Special Self-Governing Province Governor. The Special Self-Governing City Mayor, or a Mayor/Do Governor or the head of a Si/Gun/Gu (referring to an autonomous Gu) is required to conduct an epidemiological investigation:
√ Where an infectious disease is likely to occur and prevail within his/her jurisdiction;
√ Where an infectious disease is likely to occur and prevail outside his/her jurisdiction, but suspected to have an epidemiological link within his/her jurisdiction;
Epidemiological investigation officers- Epidemiological investigation officers shall be composed of at least thirty public officials of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and at least two public officials of a City/Do, respectively, to deal with affairs concerning epidemiological investigations (main body of Article 60-2(1) of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act).
※ However, at least one of the epidemiological investigation officers of the City/Do must be a medical doctor among medical staff under Article 2 paragraph 1 of the “Medical Service Act” and if necessary for dealing with affairs concerning epidemiological investigations, a Mayor/Do Governor may assign epidemiological investigation officers to Sis/Guns/Gus (Proviso of Article 60-2 paragraph 1 of the “Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act”).
- Epidemiological investigation officers shall be appointed, from among any of the following persons who have completed the course of education and training on epidemiological investigations (Article 60-2 paragraph 2 of the “Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act”):
· Public officials in charge of affairs of epidemic control, epidemiological investigation, or vaccination;
· Medical personnel as prescribed in Article 2 paragraph 1 of the Medical Service Act;
· Other experts in fields related to infectious diseases and epidemiology, such as pharmacists as prescribed in Article 2 subparagraph 2 of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act and veterinarians as prescribed in Article 2 subparagraph 1 of the Veterinarians Act.
- The duties of an epidemiological investigation officer are as follows (Article 26 paragraph 2 of the “Enforcement Decree of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act”):
· Formulating epidemiological investigation plans;
· Conducting, and analyzing the findings of, epidemiological investigations;
· Developing the criteria and methods for conducting epidemiological investigations;
· Providing technical guidance on epidemiological investigations;
· Providing education and training on epidemiological investigations;
· Conducting epidemiological research on infectious diseases.
- An epidemiological investigation officer may temporarily take the following measures, where an emergency, in which the spread of an infectious disease is anticipated, would be likely to cause serious harm to public health if measures are not taken immediately and he/she shall immediately report such fact to the Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the Special Self-Governing Province Governor. The Special Self-Governing City Mayor, or the relevant Mayor/Do Governor (Article 60-2(4) and (6) and Subparagraph 1 of Article 47 of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act).
· Temporary closure;
· Prohibition of entry of the general public;
· Restriction on movement into the relevant places;
· Other measures for passage blocking;
- Relevant public officials, such as the head of a police agency, the head of a fire service agency, and the head of public health clinics, shall cooperate with measures taken by an epidemiological investigation officer unless there exists any justifiable ground to the contrary (Article 60-2(5) of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act).
- The Minister of Health and Welfare, the Special Self-Governing Province Governor. The Special Self-Governing City Mayor, and Mayors/Do Governors may pay research expenses and reimburse travel expenses to epidemiological investigative officers, within budgetary limits (Article 26 paragraph 4 of the “Enforcement Decree of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act”).