Rhode Island General Laws Title 23. Health and Safety § 23-8-1. Reports of communicable diseases

In addition to the provisions of chapters 10 and 11 of this title, the director of health may by regulation declare any disease to be a reportable disease. Every physician or other person having knowledge of a case or suspected case of a reportable disease shall give notice to the department of health in a manner prescribed by the director. The director may add or remove, at any time, the name of any disease to or from the list of diseases which he or she shall declare to be reportable and may, at any time, revise the manner of reporting. The regulations in respect to the reportable diseases shall state the time within which the notification to the department of health must be made, the individual by whom it is to be made, the method, whether by writing, telegraph, or telephone, in which it shall be made, and whether the case or suspected case is to be identified by name, address, and date of onset of illness.