TABLE 3.

Practices in relation to outbreak investigations.

Questions	Responses	Frequency (no.)	Percentage (%)
Have you been involved in a food-borne disease outbreak investigation as an EHP?	No	44	72.1
	Yes	17	27.9
When do you become aware of food-borne diseases outbreak?	Immediately when it has occurred	40	65.6
	A day after it has occurred	13	21.3
	When all evidence has been removed	5	8.2
	Other	3	4.9
While in the office, how would you confirm or determine that an outbreak may have occurred?	Reviewing and requesting documents	12	19.7
	Calling relevant employees	17	27.9
	Other	32	52.5
How do you prepare for an outbreak investigation before going out?	Arrange sampling equipment	26	42.6
	Communicate with ORT and arrange sampling equipment	6	9.8
	Communicate with ORT	11	18.0
	Other	18	29.5
What is the appropriate time frame for taking a sample after an outbreak has occurred?	Last 12 h	28	45.9
	Last 24 h	18	29.5
	Last 48 h	4	6.6
	Last 72 h	3	4.9
	Other	8	13.1
After collecting the food sample, how long on average does it take you to submit the samples to the laboratory?	Within 12 h	56	91.8
	Between 12 and 24 h	5	8.2
How often do you conduct follow-up or monitoring visits after report writing?	Never	9	14.8
	Sometimes	21	34.4
	Always	31	50.8
How long after the investigations do you conduct a follow-up or monitoring visit?	One week	13	25.0
	Two weeks	20	38.5
	One month	12	23.1
	More than 1 month	7	13.5

ORT, outbreak response team; EHP, environmental health practitioner.