Healthdirect Free Australian health advice you can count on.

Medical problem? Call 1800 022 222. If you need urgent medical help, call triple zero immediately

healthdirect Australia is a free service where you can talk to a nurse or doctor who can help you know what to do.

beginning of content

Notification of illness and disease

5-minute read

When certain diseases and illnesses occur, government health authorities must be informed about the occurrence — these are known as ‘notifiable’ diseases. Many, but not all, notifiable diseases are infectious diseases (sometimes known as ‘communicable’ diseases).

It is not your responsibility to notify government health authorities; it is the responsibility of the doctor or pathology service. In some states, certain other people, such as directors of childcare centres, must also report certain diseases.

Depending on the particular condition, if you are diagnosed with a notifiable disease, you might be contacted by health authorities. Also, you might want — or need — to notify people you have been in contact with. No information about you or your health becomes public.

Why are some illnesses and diseases notifiable?

The main reason is that public health authorities need to know where in the community significant diseases are being found.

This information lets them take steps to control the spread of infectious diseases — for example, to avoid an epidemic — and to protect the health of the community. It also helps them improve health policy and check that health services are working to the required standard.

Knowing when and where such illnesses occur can also help with healthcare planning. For example, it helps governments decide where to allocate funding and resources, and provides information so governments and health authorities can set priorities for medical research. It also allows certain types of high quality research to be carried out.

Notifiable disease lists and practices

The Australian Government and the states and territories all have their own legislation and communicable disease lists — many conditions are on all lists, but some are only notifiable in 1 or 2 areas.

Examples of notifiable diseases include:

In some states, some non-communicable diseases — such as cancer — and conditions — such as high levels of lead in the blood — are also notifiable.

Check the list below for Australia and for your own state and territory.

What happens to my information?

If you have a notifiable disease, all your information is confidential and is seen only by authorised health staff. It is used for planning purposes and for research.

You might be able to restrict access of medical practitioners to certain sensitive information, such as sexual health records.

You can also choose to hide particular records in your My Health Record data (the Australian Government’s digital health record system). Hidden records are not available to any medical practitioners who are treating you.

You cannot request that your condition not be reported, because reporting is a legal requirement. But your information is protected by privacy legislation, and any identifying information is removed before the information is reported more widely.

Information about your condition is not shared with your insurance company or your employer.

Will I be told?

For some conditions, your state or territory health authority might contact you or your doctor. They might want to find out more about how you contracted the disease, or they might want to find out if other people you have been in contact with might need treatment or advice. Health authorities can help you get in touch with people you have been in recent contact with.

What do I need to do?

If you find out that you — or someone you know — has a notifiable disease, you don’t need to take any action to notify authorities.

If you are infectious, you should take steps to avoid infecting other people (for example, by staying away from work or school).

If you have a sexually transmitted infection, you should tell your current and previous sexual partners so they can get treatment if necessary. This can be difficult to do, but you can get support from a sexual health clinic or use an online partner notification service.

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: November 2021


Back To Top

Need more information?

These trusted information partners have more on this topic.

Top results

Notifiable diseases | NT Health

Centre for Disease Control's schedule of notifiable diseases, health professional information and urgent diseases to notify.

Read more on NT Health website

List of nationally notifiable diseases | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

This page lists diseases that states and territories have agreed to report to us through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.

Read more on Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website

Communicable diseases | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Communicable diseases are diseases that can spread from person to person. Find out what we’re doing to prevent outbreaks and monitor these diseases in Australia.

Read more on Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website

Hepatitis (not elsewhere classified) | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Find out how we define and monitor cases of hepatitis (NEC), and where you can learn more about this disease.

Read more on Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website

Malaria | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Find out how we define and monitor cases of malaria, and where you can learn more about this disease.

Read more on Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website

Legionellosis | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Find out how we define and monitor cases of legionellosis, and where you can learn more about this disease.

Read more on Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website

Cholera | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Find out how we define and monitor cases of cholera, and where you can learn more about this disease.

Read more on Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Find out how we define and monitor cases of SARS, and where you can learn more about this disease.

Read more on Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website

Australian bat lyssavirus infection | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Find out how we define and monitor cases of Australian bat lyssavirus infection (ABLV), and where you can learn more about this disease.

Read more on Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website

Lyssavirus infection (not elsewhere classified) | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

Find out how we define and monitor cases of lyssavirus infection (NEC), and where you can learn more about this disease.

Read more on Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website

Healthdirect 24hr 7 days a week hotline

24 hour health advice you can count on

1800 022 222

Government Accredited with over 140 information partners

We are a government-funded service, providing quality, approved health information and advice

Australian Government, health department logo ACT Government logo New South Wales government, health department logo Northen Territory Government logo Queensland Government logo Government of South Australia, health department logo Tasmanian government logo Victorian government logo Government of Western Australia, health department logo

Healthdirect Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners and to Elders both past and present.