The California Department of Health has issued a new All Facilities Letter (AFL) outlining requirements for healthcare facilities, including nursing homes, to report COVID-19 outbreaks and unusual infectious disease occurrences to their local health department and Licensing and Certification District Office. The AFL provides investigation and reporting thresholds for COVID-19, which are intended to expedite facilities' investigation of cases and reporting to public health authorities. This will help ensure early detection of possible outbreaks and timely intervention to prevent the virus' spread. The AFL also notifies facilities of a change in the webpage for county COVID-19 case rates. Reporting of outbreaks and unusual infectious disease occurrences does not replace reporting of individual COVID-19 cases or daily reporting for upload to the National Healthcare Safety Network. When the reporting threshold is reached and reported, local health departments will determine if the cases constitute an outbreak. Facilities must comply with these requirements to avoid potential consequences for non-compliance.

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