Municipal Health Commissioner's Duty to Report HIV Information – N.Y. Pub. Health Law § 2131

Municipal health Commissioner’s Durty to Report HIV

Under N.Y. Pub. Health Law § 2133, New York law requires that “contacts” of those diagnosed with HIV (defined in § 2780 as identified spouse or sex partner, person identified as having shared hypodermic needles or syringes with person diagnosed with HIV, or any person who might have been exposed to HIV in any other circumstance that poses a risk of transmission) be notified of their potential HIV exposure.  This particular section of the law requires that when such a “contact” resides in a different county or district than the diagnosed person, then the health officer of the county where the diagnosed person resides is required to notify the health officer of the county where the “contact” resides.  The health officer of the county where the “contact” resides is then required to make a good faith effort to notify the “contact” as per the requirements set forth in § 2133.