The specific actions of public health in limiting death and disease include:        Detecting a disease event                 Health providers watch for cases of rarely seen disease, a sudden increase in the number of cases above what is normally expected or unusual symptoms or resistance to treatment that may indicate a new disease or variant is involved.         Identifying populations at risk               Many infectious diseases are reportable which means that new cases must be reported to the state.  The state reports to CDC.  Analyzing the specifics of the disease such as where the disease has occurred, age of the victim(s), way the disease is spread and other factors help identify who is at risk for acquiring the disease.        Protecting and educating the population             Public health is responsible for notifying the community of potential hazards and ways to avoid contracting an illness.  It may mean closing a restaurant until the disease threat has passed, limiting movement of people or animals or explaining what precautions to take regarding the threat.  Public health education is ongoing, and has focused upon chronic diseases such as heart disease.   A bioterroristic threat would result in an alert to medical providers, emergency responders as well as the community at large. The emergency response team would also provide information to the community about the disease agent and how to best protect yourself and loved ones.        Identifying the source of the outbreak                     Tracking is used for communicable diseases to determine the pattern of spread but also to trace back potential sources of a disease.  Interviews with victims and their families, employers and others would help identify where and when the victim came in contact with an agent.  In the case of terrorism, public health would work with law enforcement to identify criminal action.        Controlling the spread of disease and assuring that ill people are treated                 Vaccinations, drug treatments, quarantine and isolation are some of the ways public health works to protect you.  In the case of a bioterrorism event, emergency plans would be activated to rapidly deliver the prevention and treatment appropriate for the community.  If necessary, contaminated people or places would be isolated or quarantined to prevent direct spread of the illness.    The Public Health Department relies upon private practitioners, citizens, hospital personnel and others to report disease cases for follow-up.               The state of Kansas mandates case reporting of over 40 communicable diseases.  Public Health relies on these reports to monitor the health of the community, strengthen prevention efforts, and reduce the impact of the diseases upon individuals and community.  Examples of the reportable diseases include sexually transmitted infections (Gonorrhea, Syphilis), potential bioterrorism agents (Anthrax, Smallpox), and emerging infectious diseases (West Nile, SARS).