Washington Administrative Code › Title 246 - Health, Department of › COMMUNICABLE DISEASES › Chapter 246-100 - Communicable and certain other diseases › Section 246-100-011 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
The definitions in this section apply throughout chapter
				  246-100 WAC unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
(1) "Anonymous HIV testing" means that the
				name or identity of the person tested for HIV will not be recorded or linked to
				the HIV test result.
(2)
				"Blood-borne pathogen" means a pathogenic microorganism that is present in
				human blood and can cause disease in humans, including hepatitis B virus,
				hepatitis C virus, human immunodeficiency virus, and syphilis.
(3) "Board" means the Washington state board
				of health.
(4) "Case" means a
				person, alive or dead, having been diagnosed to have a particular disease or
				condition by a health care provider with diagnosis based on clinical criteria,
				or laboratory criteria, or both.
(5) "Communicable disease" means an illness
				caused by an infectious agent that can be transmitted from a person, animal, or
				object to a person by direct or indirect means including, but not limited to,
				transmission via an intermediate host or vector, food, water, or air.
(6) "Contaminated" or "contamination" means
				containing or having contact with infectious agents or chemical or radiological
				materials that pose an immediate threat to present or future public
				health.
(7) "Contamination control
				measures" means the management of persons, animals, goods, and facilities that
				are contaminated, or suspected to be contaminated, in a manner to avoid human
				exposure to the contaminant, prevent the contaminant from spreading, or effect
				decontamination.
(8) "Department"
				means the Washington state department of health.
(9) "Detention" or "detainment" means
				physical restriction of activities of a person by confinement for the purpose
				of controlling or preventing a serious and imminent threat to public health and
				may include one or more of the following: Physical plant, facilities,
				equipment, or personnel to physically restrict activities of the person to
				accomplish these purposes.
(10)
				"Disease control measures" means the management of persons, animals, goods, and
				facilities that are infected with, suspected to be infected with, exposed to,
				or suspected to be exposed to an infectious agent in a manner to prevent
				transmission of the infectious agent to humans.
(11) "Health care facility" includes:
(a) Adult family homes licensed under chapter
				70.128 RCW;
(b) Assisted living
				facilities licensed under chapter 18.20 RCW;
(c) Birthing centers licensed under chapter
				18.46 RCW;
(d) Clinics or other
				settings where one or more health care providers practice;
(e) Enhanced service facilities licensed
				under chapter 70.97 RCW;
(f)
				Hospitals licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW;
(g) Nursing homes licensed under chapter
				18.51 RCW;
(h) Private
				establishments licensed under chapter 71.12 RCW; and
(i) In reference to sexually transmitted
				infections or blood-borne pathogens, other settings as defined in chapter 70.24
				RCW.