Reporting influenza clusters

Please call (617) 983-6800 or complete the online Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences (BIDLS) Report Form (BRF) listed below

Report clusters by BIDLS Report Form

Report clusters of influenza-like-illness (ILI) to Massachusetts Department of Public Health via the online report form or by phone (617) 983-6800.

For specific information about reporting, see the MDPH 105 CMR 300.000:  Reportable Diseases, Surveillance and Isolation and Quarantine Requirements.

All immediately reportable cases listed below should be reported by phone to the Division of Epidemiology at (617) 983-6800 and to your local board of health. Providers in the city of Boston should report directly to the Boston Public Health Commission at (617) 534-5611 in addition to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

  • Suspected and confirmed deaths related to influenza in children under 18 and in pregnant people.
  • Unusual or unusually severe cases of influenza or influenza like illness (ILI), e.g., with encephalopathy, myocarditis, or pericarditis. ILI is defined as fever with cough and/or sore throat.
  • Unusual clusters of ILI in daycare and elementary schools.
  • Cases of suspected or proven antiviral treatment or prophylaxis failure.
  • Suspected novel or variant influenza, e.g., travel-associated or animal-associated, (including avian influenza A H5N1 or H7N9, other avian influenza or swine influenza H3N2v)
  • Influenza or ILI in employees of swine, dairy cattle or poultry farms.

Division of Epidemiology: (617) 983-6800

Boston Public Health Commission: (617) 534-5611

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