Abstract: The influence of disease reporting system on the early report of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic was rethought under the implementation of The Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases in China. Early detection and reporting will provide a prime time for decision-making on major public health emergency management but the statutory duty reporter should have adequate legal protection for conducting the report. Taking the COVID-19 epidemic in China as an example, the issue on strengthening legal protection for whistle blowers of public health emergencies was proposed which should be considered when improving law and regulations on infectious disease prevention and control in China.