PREVENTION OF THE SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES REGULATIONS

PREVENTION OF THE SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES REGULATIONS

PREVENTION OF THE SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS
DISEASES REGULATIONS

ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS
Regulation .................................Page

PART 1
GENERAL

1. Citation.................................. ... ... ... ... ... ... B 3

2. Interpretation............................ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... B 3

3. Exercise of health officer's powers ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... B 3

PARTII
NOTIFICATION
4. Medical practitioners to report infectious diseases ... ... ... ... ... B 3

5. Other persons to report infectious disease ... ... ... ... ... ... B 4

6. Sick persons in hotels, boarding houses or common lodging-houses ... B 4

7. Offences ................................. ... ... ... ... ... ... B 4

PART Ill
SICK AND INFECTED PERSONS
8. Power of entry and examination ........... ... ... ... ... ... ... B 5

9. Examination of persons and dead bodies ... ... ... ... ... ... B 5
10.........................Removal of sick persons, contacts and carriers ... ... ... ... ... B 5
11.....................Treatment of persons elsewhere ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... B 5
12.....................Detention of persons removed ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... B 6
13.....................Entry to infectious diseases hospitals ... ... ... ... ... ... ... B 6

PARTIV
RESTRICTIONS ON EXPOSURE OR TRANSPORT OF SICK PERSONS
AND OF DISPOSAL OF INFECTED DEAD BODIES
14. Person not to expose others to infection or enter public conveyances ... ... B 6
15.........................Owners of conveyances to make reports ... ... ... ... ... ... B 6
16.....................Disposal of infected clothing, etc . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... B 6
17.....................Disposal of infected dead bodies ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... B 7
18..............................No infected dead body to be dealt with otherwise ... ... ... ... B 7

PART V
DISINFECTION AND CLEANSING

19................Disinfection of building ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... B 7
20.......Wells ........................... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... B 7
21................Enforcement of Orders ..... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... B 7
22................Disinfection of conveyances ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... B 8
23. Disinfection and destruction of personal effects ... ... ... ... ... ... B 8





Regulation Page
PART VI

ISOLATION OF AREAS AND PREMISES

24. Power to order areas or premises to be isolated ... ... ... ... ... ... B 8

25. Restriction on movement ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... B 8

26. Seizure and destruction of animals, birds, food, etc. in certain cases ... B 8

27. Exercise of powers ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... B 9

PART VII

MISCELLANEOUS

28. Persons not to resist or obstruct health officer ... ... ... ... ... ... B 9

29.........Offences ......................... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... B 9

Schedule...Forms............................ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... B 9





PREVENTION OF THE SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS
DISEASES REGULATIONS

(Cap. 141, section 8)

[16th September, 1955.]

PART 1

GENERAL

1. These regulations may be cited as the Prevention of the
Spread of Infectious Diseases Regulations.

2. In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires-
'carrier' means any person in whose body is carried the germs of
an infectious disease;

'contact' means any person who has been exposed to the risk of
infection of an infectious disease whether from humans or
animals or birds;
'conveyance' includes all vessels, and all conveyances used wholly
or in part for the carriage of freight;

'infectious' means capable of transmitting an infectious disease;

'isolation area' means an area the subject of an order made under
regulation 24;

'isolation order- means an order made under regulation 24;

'isolation premises' means premises the subject of an order made
under regulation 24;

'sick person' means a person suffering from an infectious disease.

3. Where, under these regulations, a power is given to a
health officer to do any act or thing. the same may be done by any
person acting under his direction.

PART 11

NoTiFICATION

4. (1) Where any medical practitioner or medical officer
has reason to suspect the existence of a case of an infectious
disease or, in the case of death, that an infectious disease existed,
he shall forthwith notify the Director of Medical and Health
Services.

(2) A notification under paragraph (1)-
(a)in the case of tuberculosis, shall be in accordance with
Form 1 in the Schedule; and





(b)in the case of any other infectious disease, shall be in
accordance with Form 2 in the Schedule,

and shall be signed by the medical practitioner.

(2A) The Director of Medical and Health Services shall
supply free copies of Form 1 and Form 2 upon request to medical
practitioners and officers in charge of police stations.

(3) A medical practitioner, other than a Government medical
officer, shall be entitled to receive the sum of $2 in respect of any
notification made under paragraph (I):

Provided that such sum shall be payable only in respect of the
first notification of an infectious disease.

(4) Where a medical practitioner confirms or disproves the
existence of any infectious disease, concerning which he had
notified the Director of Medical and Health Services, he shall
forthwith report the said confirmation or disproof to the Director
of Medical and Health Services.

5. (1) Where any person, not under the care of a medical
practitioner is known to be suffering or to have died from any
infectious disease a report thereof shall forthwith be made to-
(a) a health officer; or

(b)a police officer on duty at the nearest police station or
the medical officer in charge of the nearest public dis-
pensary or to any health inspector, who in turn shall
inform the health officer.

(2) Such report shall be made by-

(a) in the case of an inmate of any premises-
(i) the occupier or keeper of such premises; or
(ii) the nearest adult relative living on such premises; or
(iii) any person in charge of or in attendance on the
sick person or dead body; or

(b)any person having knowledge of the case of an infectious
disease.

6. Where any sick person is in any hotel, boarding house
or common lodging-house the keeper of such institution shall
forthwith make a report to any of the persons mentioned in
regulation 5(1).

7. (1) Any person who-

(a)being required by these regulations to make a report con-
cerning any infectious disease, or any death therefrom,
neglects without reasonable excuse to make such report
with the least practicable delay; or





(b)knowingly furnishes any information which is false con-
cerning any such disease or death,

shall be liable to a fine of $500.

(2) Any person charged with an offence under this regulation
shall be presumed to have known of the existence of the infectious
disease, unless he shows to the satisfaction of the court that he had
no such knowledge and could not with reasonable diligence have
obtained such knowledge.

PART 111

SICK AND INFECTED PtRSONS

8. A health officer authorized in writing in that behalf by the
Director of Medical and Health Services and any person authorized
by such health officer may enter and where necessary, in the presence
of a police officer, break into any premises for the purpose of-

(a)ascertaining whether there is therein any sick person or any
contact or carrier; or

(b)examining any dead body where the health officer has
reason to believe that the cause of death has not been
certified by a medical practitioner, or has doubt as to the
diagnosis certified,

and may cause any such person or dead body to be examined.

9. A health officer may-

(a)carry out a medical examination on, and for that purpose
detain, any person whom he has reason to believe is a sick
person, contact or carrier; and

(b)carry out a post-mortem examination on, and for that
purpose remove to a mortuary or other suitable place, any
dead body where he has reason to believe that infectious
disease existed therein at the time of death.

10. A health officer may remove any sick person, contact or
carrier to an infectious diseases hospital or such other place as he
may appoint.

11. (1) A health officer may permit in writing a sick person,
contact or carrier to be treated elsewhere than in an infectious
diseases hospital.

(2) The health officer may endorse on such permit such
conditions as he deems necessary, and such conditions shall be
complied with by all persons having charge of the sick person,
contact or carrier.





12. Any person removed to an infectious diseases hospital or
other place under regulation 10 may be detained there until, in the
opinion of the medical officer in charge of such infectious diseases
hospital or other place, such person is no longer infectious.

13. No person shall enter an infectious diseases hospital or
other place appointed by a health officer under regulation 10 with-
out the permission of such health officer or the medical officer in
charge of such infectious diseases hospital or other place.

PART IV

RESTRICTIONS ON EXPOSURE OR TRANSPORT OF SICK PERSONS
AND OF DISPOSAL OF INFECTED DEAD BODIES

14. (1) No person knowing he is a sick person shall, and
no person having the care of any person whom he has reason to
believe is a sick person shall permit that person to-
(a)expose other persons to the risk of infection by his
presence or conduct in any street, public place, place of
entertainment or assembly, club, or hotel, or by carrying
on any trade, business or occupation;
(b)enter any public conveyance used for the carriage of
passengers at separate fares except with the permission in
writing of a health officer and subject to such conditions
as he may specify;
(c)enter any other kind of public conveyance without first
informing the owner, driver, or conductor of the fact that
he is a person so suffering.

(2) No person knowing he is suffering from plague, small-
pox, cholera, louse-borne typhus or louse-borne relapsing fever
shall travel in any conveyance other than an ambulance except
with the permission in writing of a health officer and subject to
such conditions as he may specify.

(3) Except as herein provided no owner or conductor of a
public conveyance used for the carriage of passengers at separate
fares shall convey therein any person whom he has reason to
believe is a sick person.

15. Any owner or driver of any conveyance who carries any
person whom he has reason to believe is a sick person shall forth-
with report the matter to a health officer, or other person specified
in regulation 5(1).

16. No person shall, except with the consent and under the
direction of a health officer knowingly give, lend, sell, pawn,
transmit, remove or expose any bedding, clothing or other article
which he has reason to believe has become infectious.





17. (1) Every dead body in which there existed an infectious
disease at the time of death shall be buried or cremated at the
burial or cremation ground set apart therefor, or at such other place
as the health officer may direct.

(2) Persons carrying out such disposal privately shall comply
with the directions of the health officer in relation to disinfection,
and the time, route and method of removing the dead body to the
burial or cremation ground.

(3) Where no person undertakes the private disposal of such
a dead body, the health officer shall cause it to be disposed of.

18. No person shall deposit or cause to be deposited in any
place other than in a burial or cremation ground in which it may be
lawfully buried or cremated as the case may be, any dead body in
which there existed an infectious disease at the time of death.

PART V

DISINFECTION AND CLEANSING

19. (1) Where it appears to a health officer that any infec-
tious disease exists or has existed in any building he may with
the approval of the Director of -Medieet! and Health SeFyiecs

(a)by an order in writing served on the owners of such
building require the same to be disinfected, disinsected
and deratted to his satisfaction within the time specified
in such order;

(b) for such purpose close the building; and

(c)remove any person under the powers conferred by
regulation 10.

(2) No person shall occupy any building which has been
closed under this regulation.

20. Where in the opinion of a health officer it is necessary
as a prevention of the introduction or spread of any infectious
disease he may with the approval of the Director of Medical and
Health SeMee by order in writing served on the owners of any
well, require the same to be filled up, cleansed or disinfected to
his satisfaction within the time specified in such order.

21. Where an order made under regulation 19 or 20 is not
complied with within the time specified therein, the health officer
and any person authorized by him may enter and where neces-
sary, in the presence of a police officer, break into any premises





for the purpose of carrying out the requirements of such order.
The cost of such work may be recovered from the owner of the
buildina as if it were a debt due to the Crown.

22. Where it appears to a health officer that any conveyance
is, or may have become infectious in respect of plague, cholera,
smallpox, yellow fever, typhus or relapsing fever, he may disinfect,
disinsect and derat such conveyance.

23. Where it appears to a health officer that any clothing,
bedding or personal effects are, or may have become infectious
he may-

(a) disinfect and disinsect the same; or

(b)with the approval of the Director of Medical and Health
Service destroy the same.

PART VI

ISOLATION OF AREAS AND PREMISES

24. (1) Whenever, having regard to the circumstances, the
Director of Medical and Health Services considers it expedient
for the prevention of the spread of any infectious disease, he may
order the isolation of any particular area or premises.

(2) An isolation order may require the complete isolation of
any area or premises subject thereto or may require such degree
of isolation or be subject to such conditions or limitations as the
Director of Medical and Health Services may consider sufficient
to prevent the spread of the infectious disease in question.

(3) An isolation order may be issued in such form or in such
manner as, having regard to the circumstances, the Director of
Medical and Health Services considers best suited to bring the
terms of such order to the notice of the public.

25. No person shall enter or leave any isolation area or
isolation premises, or bring into or take out of any such area or
premises any conveyance, animal, bird, food or thing, except with
the express permission in writing of a health officer or in accord-
ance with the terms of the isolation order issued in respect of
such area or premises.

26. If any animal, bird, food or other thing is brought into
or taken out of any isolation area or isolation premises in con-
travention of any of the provisions of regulation 25, such animal,
bird. food or thing may be seized by a health officer and may in
his discretion forthwith be destroyed or be disinfected or disin-
sected as the case may require.





27. Any power conferred upon a health officer by any of the
provisions of this Part may be exercised by any person acting
under his lawful direction.

PART VII

MISCELLANEOUS

28. No person shall resist or obstruct in the execution of his
duties any health officer or person acting under his directions.

29. Any person who contravenes, or fails to comply with the
provisions of regulation 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 25 or 28
shall be liable to a fine of $1,000 and 6 months imprisonment.

SCHEDULE [reg. 4.]

FoRm 1

QUARANTINE AND PREVENTION OF DISEASE
ORDINANCE

PREVENTION OF THE SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES REGULATIONS

Notification of Tuberculosis

Name: Sex. Age:
In English .............................................
In Chinese (if applicable) ..........................

Notifier's Case
Address: Ref. No.:

Place of Work:

School Attended:

Sputum DisposalHospital/Clinic
Site of TB sent to
(if any):
Resp. System Positive On Treatment
Meninges Negative On Observation
Bone & Joint Unknown Referred
Other(s) Died





Does patient have a history of past treatment for
tuberculosis? Yes No

If yes, please state the YEAR in which he first received
treatment: ......................................................

Notified under the Prevention of the Spread of Infectious Diseases Regulation

by .............on ..........19
(Signature of Notifying Doctor) (Date of Notification)

NAME in
BLOCK LETTERS ....................
(PLEASE DELETE whichever is not applicable:)
'Iwill arrange for examination of contacts
myself.'
'Please arrange for examination of contacts to be'
done by the Government Chest Service.'

Further Remarks:

-- - ------------- --------- --------------------- -------------- -------------

DUPLICATE (Tuberculosis Notification)

For Official Use

Date of Notification

Name

Address





Foitm 2

QUARANTINE AND PREVENTION OF DISEASE
ORDINANCE

PREVENTION OF THE SPREAD oF INFECTIOUS DISEASES REGULATIONS

Notification of Infectious Diseases other than Tuberculosis

Name For office use

No. Character
Address sex

Place of Work:

School Attended: Age
Suspected
Disease - on 19
Confirmed
Hospital sent to (if any)
If a case of malaria,
(a) Recurrent or fresh case?
(b) Vivax, falciparum or malariae infection?
(c) Has the patient had malaria before?
(d) When was the last attack?
(e) Has the patient been outside the Urban Area (i.e. Hong Kong Island,
Kowloon and New Kowloon) recently? If so, where and when?
.............................................................................................

....................................

Notified under the Prevention of the Spread of Infectious Diseases Regulations
by ..........................on 19
.(Signature of Notifying Doctor) (Date)

...............................1
Name (in block letters)

- - - - - - - - - - - - FOLD HERE - - - - - - - - - - - -
Remarks:

.......................................

DUPLICATE
Name ................................................................................................
Address .............................................................................................

Disease...................................................... Date .............................. 19
G.N.A. 95/55. G.N.A. 133/61. L.N. 96/68. L.N. 79/74. Citation. Interpretation. L.N. 79/74. G.N.A. 133/61. Exercise of health officer's powers. Medical practitioners to report infectious diseases. L.N. 96/68. Schedule, Form 1. Schedule, Form 2. L.N. 79/74. Other persons to report infectious disease. Sick persons in hotels, boarding houses or common lodging-houses. Offences. Power of entry and examination. Examination of persons and dead bodies. Removal of sick persons, contacts and carriers. Treatment of persons elsewhere. Detention of persons removed. Entry to infectious diseases hospitals. Person not to expose others to infection or enter public conveyances. Owners of conveyances to make reports. Disposal of infected clothing, etc. Disposal of infected dead bodies. No infected dead body to be dealt with otherwise. Disinfection of building. Wells. Enforcement of orders. Disinfection of conveyances. Disinfection and destruction of personal effects. G.N.A. 133/61. Power to order areas or premises to be isolated. Restriction on movement. Seizure and destruction of animals, birds, food, etc. in certain cases. Exercise of powers. Persons not to resist or obstruct health officer. Offences. G.N.A. 133/61. L.N. 96/68.

G.N.A. 95/55. G.N.A. 133/61. L.N. 96/68. L.N. 79/74. Citation. Interpretation. L.N. 79/74. G.N.A. 133/61. Exercise of health officer's powers. Medical practitioners to report infectious diseases. L.N. 96/68. Schedule, Form 1. Schedule, Form 2. L.N. 79/74. Other persons to report infectious disease. Sick persons in hotels, boarding houses or common lodging-houses. Offences. Power of entry and examination. Examination of persons and dead bodies. Removal of sick persons, contacts and carriers. Treatment of persons elsewhere. Detention of persons removed. Entry to infectious diseases hospitals. Person not to expose others to infection or enter public conveyances. Owners of conveyances to make reports. Disposal of infected clothing, etc. Disposal of infected dead bodies. No infected dead body to be dealt with otherwise. Disinfection of building. Wells. Enforcement of orders. Disinfection of conveyances. Disinfection and destruction of personal effects. G.N.A. 133/61. Power to order areas or premises to be isolated. Restriction on movement. Seizure and destruction of animals, birds, food, etc. in certain cases. Exercise of powers. Persons not to resist or obstruct health officer. Offences. G.N.A. 133/61. L.N. 96/68.

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