Reporting influenza clusters

Please call [phone] 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 theonline report form or by phone [phone].

Please provide as much detail on the report form as possible. Upon receipt of the form, an epidemiologist will contact you to review guidance concerning testing, prophylaxis, and infection control.

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

Immediately report the following influenza-related cases by phone

All immediately reportable cases listed below should be reported by phone to the Division of Epidemiology at [phone] and to your local board of health. Providers in the city of Boston should report directly to the Boston Public Health Commission at [phone] 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: [phone]

Boston Public Health Commission: [phone]