When an attending physician or hospital has reported to the department of health and welfare that Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) or variant CJD is suspected in relation to a person’s death, the state epidemiologist, as designated pursuant to department rule, shall cause to be performed an autopsy of the body, provided a definitive diagnosis has not been made prior to death and provided further that the person or persons having the highest authority under the provisions of section 54-1142, Idaho Code, do not refuse the performance of such autopsy. The state epidemiologist, in ordering an autopsy pursuant to this section, shall require the person or entity performing the autopsy to report the findings of such autopsy to the department of health and welfare.