The public health department, to which dangerous or frequently occurring infectious diseases must be reported immediately, has the legal responsibility to prevent infectious diseases and communicable epidemic diseases. Based on these reports, investigations are conducted, for example, among contacts, at food establishments, in kitchens, etc.
The purpose of these investigations is to identify the source of the infection and prevent the disease from spreading further. Unfortunately, many doctors today fail to report cases correctly and promptly to the public health department, either due to a lack of knowledge or time constraints. This leads to preventable illnesses among contacts. Doctors who fail to comply with their reporting obligation must also expect legal action from the public health department as well as claims for damages from affected individuals and health insurance companies.

The reports recorded in the statistics of the Salzgitter Public Health Department therefore do not reflect the actual situation. Depending on the disease, the number of unreported cases is estimated to be up to 100 times higher than the number of reported cases. Even if no cases of a particular disease have been registered, the presence of such diseases cannot be ruled out in reality. For many of these diseases, there is no curative treatment available, and mortality rates are elevated and/or permanent health impairment or disability is common.

This makes timely protection through vaccination all the more important as a personal preventive measure. You can ask your primary care physician for personalized advice on this matter. The public health department offers a yellow fever and travel vaccination clinic—not just for travelers abroad.

We have set up a toll-free fax number for the legally required reports under the Infection Protection Act (IfSG):

FreeCall: 0800 - 8394953

(We cover the call charges within Germany).

You can reach a contact person at the public health department using the contact information provided below.
You can also send us general messages or inquiries—without including any personal information!—via email.