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Public Health (Infected Areas) (Coronavirus Disease 2019) Regulations, 2020 (Statutory Instrument 22 of 2020)

Primary work
Public Health Act, 1930 (Chapter 295)
Government Gazette
This is the latest version of this legislation commenced on 13 Jul 2020.

Zambia

Public Health Act, 1930

Public Health (Infected Areas) (Coronavirus Disease 2019) Regulations, 2020

Statutory Instrument 22 of 2020

  • Published in Government Gazette on 13 March 2020

  • Assented to on 13 March 2020

  • Commenced on 13 March 2020

  • [This is the version of this document from 13 July 2020.]

  1. [Amended by Public Health (Infected Areas) (Coronavirus Disease 2019) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020 (Statutory Instrument 62 of 2020) on 13 July 2020]


In exercise of the powers contained in sections 28, 30 and 114 of the Public Health Act, the following Regulations are made:


1. Title

These Regulations may be cited as the Public Health (Infected Areas) (Coronavirus Disease 2019) Regulations, 2020.

2. Interpretation

In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—"authorised officer" means a Medical Officer of Health, Health Inspector, District Medical Officer, Environmental Health Officer or a suitably qualified person authorised in writing by the Minister or a local authority with approval of the Minister;"building" has the meaning assigned to the word in the Act;"conveyance" means a system or means ofconveying people or goods from place to place and includes an aircraft, ship, train, vehicle or any other means of transportation;"COVID-19" means the Coronavirus Disease 2019;"health facility" means any site, fixed or mobile providing services to the public for the prevention diagnosis and treatment of disease or illness and includes a diagnosis centre, a hospice and a hospital;"infected area" means a part of the Republic or any conveyance declared as being or appearing to be threatened by the epidemic of COVID-19; and"unsanitary condition" means a condition or circumstance that might generate, promote or transmit COVID-19 to a person.

3. Conversion of building as hospital, observation camp or station

The ministry responsible for health may convert a suitable building to a hospital, observation camp or station for the purpose of placing a person suffering or suspected to be suffering from, or who has been in contact with a person suffering from COVID-19.

4. Exit from hospital, observation camp or station

(1)A person shall not leave a hospital, observation camp or station referred to in regulation 3 without the permission of an authorised officer.
(2)A person shall comply with any direction of the authorised officer under subregulation (1).

5. Entry or exit from infected area

(1)A person shall not enter or leave an infected area without—
(a)the permission ofan authorised officer in a local authority of the infected area; and
(b)complying with any direction given by an authorised officer in a local area.
(2)Subject to subregulation (1) a person who intends to enter or leave an infected area may, before entering or leaving the infected area, be required to undergo the following:
(a)medical examination;
(b)disinfection; or
(c)remain for a specified period in a hospital, an observation camp or station converted under regulation 3.

6. Disposal of body

The body of a person who has died from COVID-19 shall be disposed of in conformity with the directions of an authorised officer.

7. Entry into premises for enquiry

An authorised officer may enter premises to search for a case of COVID-19 or to enquire whether there is or has been a case of COVID-19.

8. Informing authorised officer in local authority or public health faciltiy

A person who becomes aware or has reason to suspect that another person has died or is suffering from COVID-19 shall immediately inform the nearest authorised officer in a local authority or a public health facility.

9. Restriction on gathering

A public ceremony or gathering shall not be held in an infected area without the written permission of an authorised officer.[regulation 9 substituted by section 2 of Statutory Instrument 62 of 2020]

10. Prohibition or restriction on trade

(1)An authorised officer may prohibit or restrict the trade of food products and ready to eat foods from and in any location which may pose a danger to health of the consumers and the traders.
(2)An authorised officer may, in accordance with subregulation (1), institute measures for preventing or limiting the danger to health.

11. Prohibition or restriction on trading or vending in unsanitary conditions

An authorised officer shall prohibit or restrict trading in or vending of food in unsanitary conditions.

12. Sanitation and hygiene in public premises

(1)An authorised officer may inspect public premises in order to ensure that it has sufficient sanitation and hygiene to prevent the occurrence or transmission of COVID-19.
(2)An authorised officer may order the cleaning or closure of a public premise or burial of any contaminated water body where the authorised officer determines that public premises or a water body does not have sufficient sanitation and hygiene to prevent the occurrence or transmission of COVID-19.

13. Effecting of measures

The measures referred to in these Regulations will be effected if the urgency category levels described in the Schedule reach the alert level.

14. General offence

A person who fails to comply with a direction, prohibition or restriction of an authorised officer or otherwise contravenes these Regulations commits an offence and is liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding two thousand five hundred penalty units or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to both.


Schedule (Regulation 13)

Urgency Category Levels

The Urgency Category Levels are as follows:

(a)"alert level" conveying the highest level of importance and warranting immediate action or attention;
(b)"advisory level" requiring the provision of important information for a specific incident or situation and does not require immediate action; or
(c)"update level" requiring the provision of updated information for a specific incident or situation and unlikely to require immediate action.

Dr C. Chilufya,Minister of Health