Communicable Disease

Sierra County Health Department works to promptly identify, prevent and control infectious diseases that pose a threat to public health, including emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, vaccine-preventable agents, bacterial toxins, bioterrorism, and pandemics (e.g. avian influenza in humans).

Sierra County Health Department also works closely with the Office of AIDS on comprehensive prevention, diagnosis and treatment services for sexually transmitted diseases, viral hepatitis, and tuberculosis and HIV.

Communicable Disease A - Z
Reportable Diseases and Conditions
Reporting Forms

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH)-Office of Guidance and Policy (G&P) is happy to announce the launch of their new inquiry submission portal! The portal serves as a resource for submitting questions pertaining to their policy updates and guidance regarding communicable disease, and methods for keeping you and your community safe. Before submitting your question, please review the resources available on the CDPH guidance page. Inquiries may be submitted at the CDPH Inquiry Portal. Inquiries will be responded to promptly, between the business hours of Monday-Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm PST (excluding State holidays).

Monkeypox Outbreak Information

Monkeypox is a rare illness caused by an orthopox virus that is related to the smallpox virus. While generally less severe than smallpox, monkeypox can be a serious illness. In Africa, 1-10% of persons with monkeypox die. There have not yet been reports of deaths from recent cases in Europe. The symptoms of monkeypox are similar to smallpox. Infected persons often develop fever and body aches, which are followed by a characteristic rash on the face, arms, and legs. The rash can involve the palms. The illness generally lasts two to four weeks. The virus is not easily spread between people, but it can spread through contact with bodily fluids or lesions as well as through large respiratory droplets that do not travel more than a few feet.

Although the sudden emergence of monkeypox can be alarming after two years of living through the COVID-19 pandemic, monkeypox is not a new virus and does not spread in the same way as COVID-19. The current risk of getting monkeypox is low. 

If you have symptoms of monkeypox or COVID-19, isolate from others and contact a health care provider right away. To learn more about monkeypox and how you can protect yourself and others, go to: go.cdph.ca.gov/monkeypox

MONKEYPOX STATISTICS (as of November 22, 2022)
DeathsSuspect CasesConfirmed Cases
Global (1)                     551,34579,458


HospitalizedConfirmed Cases
USA     14---29,199
California---2295,572

1: Per Global Health Interactive Outbreak Tracker *Persons under investigation (suspect cases with tests pending) 

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