[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 132 (Thursday, July 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41136-41137]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-17433]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-03-90]


Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; Proposed Data 
Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on 
proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. 
To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a 
copy of the data collection plans and instruments, call the CDC Reports 
Clearance Officer on (404)498-1210. CDC is requesting an emergency 
clearance for this data collection with a week comment period. CDC is 
requesting OMB approval of this package seven days after the end of the 
public comment period.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology. Send comments to Seleda Perryman, CDC 
Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D24, 
Atlanta, GA 30333. Written comments should be received within seven 
days of this notice.
    Proposed Project: Monkeypox Outbreak Investigation--New--National 
Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID), Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC). The purpose of this project is to respond to an 
outbreak of Monkeypox virus, which belongs to the orthopoxvirus group 
of viruses. Monkeypox clinically resembles smallpox but differs both 
biologically and epidemiologically. Monkeypox was first introduced into 
the Western hemisphere in April 2003. The source of the virus was 
traced back to a distributor of exotic animals, where prairie dogs and 
Gambian giant rats were housed together in Illinois. These rats were 
shipped from Ghana in April to a wildlife importer in Texas and 
subsequently sold to the Illinois distributor.
    On June 4, 2003, the first human cases of monkeypox in the U.S. 
were discovered in patients in Illinois and Wisconsin. The source of 
the contact was a pet prairie dog. Since then, 81 confirmed, probable 
and suspect human cases have been reported in six different states. CDC 
has been involved in the investigation of this outbreak. In order to 
further the investigation, several collections of information are 
required. Currently, CDC is collecting this information under an 
Epidemic Aid (epi-aid) which will expire in 30 days. To preserve 
continuity in the surveillance information collected by public health 
investigators, CDC is requesting an emergency clearance (six-month) on 
the current surveillance forms. The information collected includes 
contact information for patients and animal distributors. There are no 
costs to the respondents.

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                                                                                                              No. of        Avg. burden
                      Form                                      Respondent                    No. of       responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                                                            respondents     respondent       (in hrs.)       (in hrs.)
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1. Monkeypox Case Investigation Form............  State/local health department.........              81               1           30/60              41
2. Monkeypox Contact/Site Worksheet.............  Case Contacts.........................             320               1           20/60             107
3. Monkeypox Contact Surveillance Form..........  Case Contacts.........................             320               1           10/60              53
4. Vaccine......................................  State/local health department.........             100               1           15/60              25

[[Page 41137]]

 
5. Detailed Data Collection Form................  State/local health department.........              32               1           60/60              32
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    Total.......................................  ......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............             258
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    Dated: July 3, 2003.
Thomas A. Bartenfeld,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-17433 Filed 7-9-03; 8:45 am]
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