Summary of Changes to Communicable Disease Reporting Rules (Proposed Rule)
Amendment to Disease Reporting Rules

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Updated: 9/27/2024

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) amended and updated the communicable disease reporting rules in 2024 to address new and emerging diseases, remove unnecessary provisions, clarify reporting conditions, and address other technical changes. Minnesota’s communicable disease reporting rules are the backbone of MDH’s ability to monitor and control communicable diseases in Minnesota. MDH proposes revisions to the reporting rule approximately every four years so that the rule stays up-to-date.

These amendments were published 9/23/2024 and go into effect 9/27/2024, prior to this the Communicable Disease Reporting Rule was last modified in October 2018.

Why did we need to make changes?

• MDH is amending and updating the communicable disease reporting rules to address new and emerging diseases, remove unnecessary provisions, clarify reporting conditions, and address other technical changes. Minnesota’s communicable disease reporting rules are the backbone of MDH’s ability to monitor and control communicable diseases in Minnesota.

What were the changes?  

• Add new diseases and syndromes that are not currently reportable to Minnesota Rules, part 4605.7040 like multisystem inflammatory syndrome associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, including in children (MIS-C) and adults (MIS-A).
• Add diseases to Minnesota Rules, part 4605.7040 that are currently reportable under Minnesota Rules, part 4605.7080 including SARS- CoV-2 (COVID-19) (unusual case incidence, critical illness, all laboratory confirmed cases).
• Remove Diphyllobothrium latum infection, amebiasis (Entamoeba histolytica/dispar), and retrovirus infection from the reportable disease list from part 4605.7040, making them no longer reportable.
• Changes to diseases currently reportable under Minnesota Rules, part 4605.7040:
  • Replace carbapenem-Resistant “Enterobacteriaceae” with Carbapenem-resistant “Enterobacterales” at part 4605.7040.
  • Add a requirement to submit clinical materials for hepatitis A when requested under Minnesota Rules part 4605.7040.
  • Add a requirement to submit clinical materials from a normally sterile site for gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection) and upon request under Minnesota Rules part 4605.7040.
  • Clarify that Chlamydia trachomatis serotypes includes serovars L1, L2, and L3 at Minnesota Rules part 4605.7040.
• Clarify and define that one working day means Monday through Friday and does not include official holidays.
• Add submission of whole genome sequencing data to the MDH Public Health Laboratory when requested to part 4605.7030.
• Add hepatitis C to reportable chronic conditions that are perinatally transmissible under part 4605.7044.  
• Clarify the additional information for disease reports under parts 4605.7050 and 4605.7070 consistent with part 4605.7090. 

Proposed rule (PDF of changes)

• Proposed Changes to Communicable Disease Reporting Rule; Revisor ID: R-4723, Minnesota Rules: Chapter 4605 (PDF)
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