Preventing and reporting disease outbreaks 

Infectious disease outbreaks should be reported to UKHSA on 0300 3038162 or swhpt@ukhsa.gov.uk.

Examples of infectious diseases and national guidance on dealing with these can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/infectious-diseases-detailed-information

Guidance for education and care settings can be found here:

Good hygiene and infection control are vital in preventing the spread of infectious diseases.

Hand hygiene

Hand hygiene is one of the most important ways of controlling the spread of infections, especially those that cause diarrhoea or vomiting and respiratory infections.

Top tips for effective handwashing:

  • Use liquid soap, warm water, and paper towels.
  • Don’t use bars of soap.
  • Use alcohol hand gel if hands are not visibly dirty. Alcohol hand gel is not effective against organisms that cause gastroenteritis, such as norovirus.
  • Clean your hands after using the toilet, before eating or handling food, after playtime and after touching animals.
  • Cover cuts and abrasions with a waterproof dressing.

Read useful advice on:

Antibiotic resistance: what is it and what can we do about it?

Watch this video to find out what happened when schools and early years in Torbay used a light box machine to see how clean their hands are. This was filmed during Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Week in November 2024.

The public health team also took their lightbox to Brixham Hospital during AMR Week 2024 to talk to patients and visitors about good handwashing. They were joined by Torbay and South Devon Foundation Trust’s Dr Joanne Watson, who spoke about why it’s important to use antibiotics correctly. You can watch her in the video below:

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

See our Sexual Health page.

Tuberculosis (TB) – Knowing the Signs

24 March is World TB day. Cases are increasing nationally. It is important to raise awareness around the signs and symptoms. It is also useful to remember TB is both treatable and curable if picked up and treated quickly.

Worldwide, TB is the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent. 10 million people a year fall ill with TB. Sadly, this results in 1.4 million deaths worldwide. Although the UK remains a low incidence country, we are seeing an increase in TB cases. This pattern is reflected locally in Devon.

What is Tuberculosis (TB)

TB is an infection caused by bacteria. Although it mainly affects the lungs it can actually affect any part of the body. This includes our bones or our brain resulting in meningitis.

How TB spreads

When a person has TB in their lungs or throat, and they cough or sneeze it can spread to those around them. It does take more sustained contact with people than viruses such as Covid-19 or Flu.

The symptoms of TB

These can include:

  • a cough that lasts more than three weeks
  • high temperature or drenching night sweats
  • loss of appetite
  • unexplained weight loss
  • feeling tired or exhausted

However, people may experience some but not all of these symptoms with TB.

How you treat TB

TB is treatable – when diagnosed early and treated promptly and in full. The person with TB needs a prolonged course of specific antibiotics. However, if someone isn’t treated it can become more serious. It is important to:

  1. Have timely and accurate detection.
  2. This must be followed by the recommended treatment. This must be completed to improve recovery and reduce onward spread.
Who can get TB

Anyone. We have seen an increase in cases in the UK for both UK born and non-UK born populations. 80% of cases notified to UKHSA were born outside of the UK. For those born in the UK, TB is more common among those who have:

  • a weakened immune system
  • experienced homelessness
  • drug and alcohol dependence
  • had contact with the criminal justice system
What you can do

Not every persistent cough, along with a fever, is caused by flu or COVID-19. A cough that usually has mucus and lasts longer than 3 weeks can be caused by a range of other issues, including TB. With TB cases rising, people must be aware of the signs and symptoms of TB. You should speak to your GP early if you are experiencing any of these symptoms. This is especially important if you may be at higher risk of TB infection. Treatment for TB is available free to everyone living in the UK.

Further information

The following are podcasts aimed at those working within care homes. The information is also useful for others: