A nurse is working in a public health center. A patient who has been newly diagnosed as HIV positive comes for counseling. By law, which of the following actions must be taken by the nurse?

A. Give antiviral medications to the patient: Medication prescription is not the nurse's legal responsibility; it requires a licensed prescriber. B. Report the HIV-infected person to the state health department: HIV is a reportable disease in all U.S. states and many other countries. Public health laws require notification to monitor spread and ensure contact tracing. C. Refer the patient to the social worker for case management: This is a helpful supportive action but not legally required by law. D. Ask the person to name all his or her sexual contacts: While important for contact tracing, this is voluntary and not a legal requirement for the nurse to enforce.