CAP. 41, QUARANTINE ACT BELIZE
QUARANTINE ACT CHAPTER 41
REVISED EDITION 2000 SHOWING THE LAW AS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 2000
This is a revised edition of the law, prepared by the Law Revision Commissioner under the authority of the Law Revision Act, Chapter 3 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 1980 - 1990.
This edition contains a consolidation of the following laws- Page
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 3
QUARANTINE ACT 4 Amendments in force as at 31st December, 2000.
BELIZE
QUARANTINE ACT CHAPTER 41
REVISED EDITION 2000 SHOWING THE LAW AS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 2000
This is a revised edition of the law, prepared by the Law Revision Commissioner under the authority of the Law Revision Act, Chapter 3 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 1980 - 1990.
This edition contains a consolidation of the following laws- Page
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 3
QUARANTINE ACT 4 Amendments in force as at 31st December, 2000.
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CHAPTER 41
QUARANTINE
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
1. Short title.
2. Interpretation.
3. Establishment of Quarantine Authority and appointment of staff.
4. Power to make regulations.
5. Power to make rules.
6. Power to make orders in emergency.
7. Offences and penalties.
8. Rewards to informers.
9. Recovery of expenses and charges.
10. Duty and power of the Police.
FIRST SCHEDULE
SECOND SCHEDULE
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CHAPTER 41
QUARANTINE [20th December, 1947]
1. This Act may be cited as the Quarantine Act.
PART I
Preliminary
2.-(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:-
“aerodrome” includes both land and water aerodromes;
“aircraft” includes any machine which can derive support in the atmo- sphere from the reactions of the air and is intended for aerial navigation;
“commander” includes any person for the time being in charge or com- mand of an aircraft;
“master” includes any person for the time being in charge or com- mand of a ship;
“port” includes any place at which ships arrive or from which they depart;
“ship” includes a vessel or boat.
(2) References hereinafter made to “this Act” shall be construed to include a reference to any regulations, rules or orders in force by virtue of this Act.
Ch. 89, R. L., 1958. CAP. 32. R. E. 1980-1990 40 of 1963. 42 of 1999. S. I. 17 of 1964. Short title.
Interpretation.
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PART II
Administration
3.-(1) For the purposes of this Act, there shall be a Quarantine Authority.
(2) The person from time to time holding the office of Director of Health Services shall be the Quarantine Authority.
(3) The Public Services Commission may appoint Health Offic- ers, Visiting Officers, quarantine guards and such other employees and servants as may be necessary for the purposes of this Act.
(4) Health Officers and Visiting Officers shall, in the exercise of their powers and the performance of their duties under this Act, act under the general or special direction and control of the Quarantine Authority.
PART III
Control of Infection
4.-(1) The Minister may make regulations, as respects the whole or any part of Belize, including the ports and coastal waters thereof, for preventing-
(a) danger to public health from persons, ships, aircraft or any form of conveyance arriving at any place or from persons or things in ships, aircraft or any form of conveyance arriving at any place; and
(b) the spread of infection by means of any ship, aircraft or any form of conveyance about to leave any place or by means of any person or thing about to leave any place in any ship, aircraft or any form of conveyance.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the powers conferred
Establishment of Quarantine Authority and appointment of staff.
Power to make regulations. 40 of 1963.
First and Second Schedule.
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by subsection (1), regulations under that subsection may, for the purposes therein set forth, make provision for all or any of the following matters, that is to say-
(a) the collection and transmission of epidemiological and sanitary information;
(b) the signals to be displayed by ships or aircraft;
(c) the questions to be answered and information whether oral or documentary to be supplied by masters, commanders and other persons who are or have been on board any ship or aircraft or are desirous of boarding any ship or aircraft;
(d) the detention of ships or aircraft and of persons and things that are or have been on board them;
(e) the destruction of things which are or have been on board ships or aircraft;
(f) the duties to be performed by masters, commanders and other persons who are or have been on board ships or aircraft or who are desirous of boarding any ship or aircraft;
(g) authorising the making of charges and providing for the re- covery of charges and expenses;
(h) the enforcement of the regulations;
(i) the conferring on appropriate officers of powers to board ships and aircraft and to enter premises.
(3) Regulations made under subsection (1) shall not have any force or effect until confirmed by resolution of the National Assembly, and in confirming any regulations, the National Assembly may make any amend- ments thereto which it may deem desirable.
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(4) The regulations contained in the First and Second Schedules shall be deemed to have been made and confirmed under this section.
5.-(1) Subject to the provisions hereinafter contained, the Quarantine Authority may make rules for implementing or carrying into effect any regula- tions in force by virtue of section 4 and for supplementing any such regula- tions as regards any matters for which the Quarantine Authority may think it expedient to provide, with a view to carrying into effect the purposes set forth in section 4 (1).
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the powers conferred by subsection (1), rules under that subsection may, for the purposes therein set forth, make provision for all or any of the following matters, that is to say-
(a) regulating the granting or withdrawal of pratique;
(b) regulating the issuing of bills of health, certificates, and other documents;
(c) the governance of quarantine mooring stations, anchorages and berthing places, and of places where persons or things are detained or taken for examination and of places used for the observation or isolation of persons;
(d) the sanitation of ports and aerodromes and their surroundings, including measures for keeping them free from rodents, mos- quitoes and other vectors of disease;
(e) fixing the charges sanctioned by regulations in force by virtue of section 4 and providing for their incidence.
(3) The power to make rules under this section shall be without prejudice to any power to make regulations under section 4:
Provided that rules shall not have any force or effect if and to the extent that they are at any time inconsistent with any regulations in force by virtue of section 4.
Power to make rules.
First and Second Schedule.
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(4) Rules made by the Quarantine Authority under this section shall not have any force or effect unless approved by the Minister, and in approving any rules, the Minister may make any amendments thereto which he may deem desirable.
6.-(1) When in the opinion of the Quarantine Authority an emergency exists, the Quarantine Authority may by order direct special measures to be taken during the continuance of that emergency for any of the purposes specified in sections 4 and 5, and any such order shall have effect notwithstanding any- thing to the contrary in any regulations or rules in force by virtue of those sections.
(2) An order made under subsection (1) may be varied or re- scinded by order of the Minister.
PART IV
Offences and Proceedings
7.-(1) Any person who-
(a) refuses to answer or knowingly gives an untrue answer to any inquiry made under the authority of this Act, or inten- tionally withholds any information reasonably required of him by any officer or other person acting under the authority of this Act, or knowingly furnishes to any such officer or other person any information which is false; or
(b) refuses or wilfully omits to do any act which he is required to do by this Act, or refuses or wilfully omits to carry out any lawful order, instruction or condition made, given or im- posed by any officer or other person acting under the authority of this Act; or
40 of 1963.
Power to make orders in emer- gency.
40 of 1963.
Offences and penalties.
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(c) assaults, resists, wilfully obstructs, or intimidates any officer or other person acting under the authority of this Act, or offers or gives a bribe to any officer or person in connection with his powers or duties under this Act, or being such officer or per- son, demands, solicits or takes a bribe in connection with his powers or duties under this Act, or otherwise obstructs the execution of this Act,
is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of one thousand dollars or to imprisonment for six months or to both.
(2) Any person who is guilty of any other offence against this Act is liable on summary conviction to a fine of one thousand dollars or to imprison- ment for six months or to both.
8. The Minister may direct that any part of any fine recovered in respect of any offence against this Act shall be paid to any person who has given infor- mation leading to the conviction of the offender.
9.-(1) All expenses and charges payable to the Quarantine Authority under this Act may be sued for and recovered in civil proceedings by the Crown in any court of competent jurisdiction, and a certificate purporting to be under the hand of the Quarantine Authority to the effect that the expenses or charges sued for are due and payable shall be received in evidence and shall be suffi- cient evidence of the facts stated therein unless the contrary is proved.
(2) Any sum received or recovered by the Quarantine Authority in payment of expenses or charges payable to him under this Act shall be forth- with paid by him into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
PART V
Miscellaneous
10.-(1) It shall be the duty of every member of the police department to enforce, using force if necessary, compliance with this Act and with any
Rewards to informers. 40 of 1963.
Recovery of expenses and charges.
Duty and power of the Police. 42 of 1999.
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order, instruction or condition lawfully made, given or imposed by any officer or other person under the authority of this Act, and for such purpose any member of the police department may board any ship or aircraft and may enter any premises without a warrant.
(2) Any member of the police department may arrest without a warrant any person whom he has reasonable cause to believe to have com- mitted any offence against this Act.
(3) In this section, “member of the police department” includes a member of any police organisation constituted by law who has the general powers of a member of the police department.
42 of 1999.
42 of 1999.
42 of 1999.
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FIRST SCHEDULE
[Section 4]
QUARANTINE (MARITIME) REGULATIONS
PART I
INTRODUCTORY
Interpretation
1. In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires:-
“Aedes” means Aedes aegypti and any potential vectors of yellow fever;
“approved port” means a port or place in which a Health Officer is authorised by the Minister to grant deratisation certificates and deratisation ex- emption certificates;
“authorised officer” means a person authorised to act as such in the case in question by virtue of an order made under regulation 2;
“the Convention” means the International Sanitary Convention signed at Paris on the 21st of June, 1926, of which relevant extracts are set forth in the Appendix hereto;
“crew” includes any person having duties on board the ship in connec- tion with the voyage thereof or employed in any way in the service of the ship, the passengers or the cargo;
“day” means an interval of twenty-four hours;
“deratisation certificate” and “deratisation exemption certificate” mean respectively a deratisation certificate or a deratisation exemption certificate is
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sued under regulations 26 and 27 or otherwise issued in conformity with Ar- ticle 28 of the Convention;
“foreign port” means a port or place situated elsewhere than in Belize;
“Health Officer” means the appropriate officer appointed as such un- der section 3 of the Act, and includes a medical practitioner acting under the direction of the Quarantine Authority or a Health Officer for the purpose of executing these regulations or any of them;
“immune”, in relation to yellow fever, means that the person in ques- tion produces a certificate to the satisfaction of the Health Officer issued by a medical officer or institution recognised by the Quarantine Authority-
(a) to the effect that the bearer has been inoculated for the first time more than ten days and less than four years previously, or
(b) to the effect that he has been reinoculated within the past four years, or
(c) to the effect that he has recovered from an attack of yellow fever and that his blood contains immune bodies against yellow fever as proved by a test carried out by an institution regularly carrying out biological tests for yellow fever;
“infected area”, “infected local area”, “infected place” and “infected port” mean a local area in which the Health Officer has reason to believe that-
(a) a first case of plague recognised as non-imported has occurred or in which rodent plague exists or has existed during the previous six months; or
(b) cholera has formed a foyer, that is to say that the occur- rence of new cases beyond the immediate surroundings of the first case proves that the spread of the disease has not been limited to the place where it began; or
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(c) a first case of yellow fever recognised as non-imported has occurred; or
(d) typhus or smallpox exists in epidemic form, that is to say that the occurrence of new cases indicates that the spread of the disease is not under control; and includes a port or sea- board which serves an infected local area;
“infectious disease” means any epidemic or acute infectious disease, and includes open pulmonary tuberculosis but does not include venereal dis- ease;
“isolation” means the removal to a hospital or other suitable place ap- proved by the Health Officer of a person suffering, or suspected to be suffer- ing, from an infectious disease, and his detention therein, until, in the opinion of the Health Officer-
(a) he is free from infection, or
(b) if not so free, he may be discharged without undue danger to public health;
“local area” means a well defined area such as a province, district, island, town or quarter of a town, port or village, whatever may be its extent or population;
“master”, “port” and “ship” have the meanings assigned to them in section 3 of the Act;
“observation” means the detention under medical supervision of per- sons in such places and for such periods as may be directed by a Health Of- ficer;
“passenger” means any person, other than a member of the crew, carried in a ship;
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“period of incubation” for the purpose of these regulations shall be deemed to be-
For plague ... ... ... ... 6 days For cholera ... ... ... ... 5 days For yellow fever ... ... ... 6 days For typhus ... ... ... ... 12 days For smallpox ... ... ... ... 14 days
“Quarantine Authority” means the Quarantine Authority established under the powers conferred by section 3 of the Act;
“specified infectious disease” means plague, cholera, yellow fever, ty- phus and smallpox;
“suitably equipped port” in relation to any disease means a port recognised by the Quarantine Authority as possessing the necessary organisation and equipment for dealing with that disease;
“surveillance” means that persons are not detained, that they may move about freely, but that they are required to report for medical examination at such intervals and during such period and to such persons as may be directed by a Health Officer;
“the Act” means the Quarantine Act;
“valid” in relation to a deratisation certificate or deratisation exemp- tion certificate means issued within the last preceding six months, or, where the ship in respect of which the certificate is issued is proceeding to its home port, the last preceding seven months;
“Visiting Officer” means the appropriate officer appointed as such under section 3 of the Act or a person authorised to act as such in the case in ques- tion by virtue of an order made under regulation 3, and includes a Health Officer where the context so permits.
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Officers
2.-(1) The Quarantine Authority may by order authorise any officer or person or any member of a class of officers or persons to act as a Visiting Officer or as an authorised officer for the purposes of these regulations or for some specified purpose of these regulations.
(2) Every such officer or person shall exercise his powers and perform his duties subject to the general or special direction and control of the Quarantine Authority and the Health Officer.
PART II
SHIPS ARRIVING FROM FOREIGN PORTS
Declarations of health
3.-(1) The master of a ship approaching Belize from a foreign port shall ascertain the state of health of all persons on board and shall prepare and sign a declaration of health in the form in Schedule A hereto.
(2) If a ship’s surgeon is carried on board, he shall countersign the declaration.
Radio pratique
4.-(1) The master of any ship approved by the Quarantine Authority as eligible for radio pratique may apply for the same by sending to the Visiting Officer not more than twelve and not less than four hours before the ex- pected arrival of the ship at a port in Belize a wireless message embodying such of the items of information set out in Schedule B hereto as are appli- cable.
(2) Every such message shall, except in cases in which the Quarantine Authority otherwise directs, conform with the section relating to routine quarantine messages of the 1931 International Code of Signals.
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(3) The Visiting Officer may grant radio pratique to the ship if he is satisfied from the wireless message aforesaid and other information, if any, in his possession that no person on board the ship has symptoms which may be indicative of infectious disease and that there are no circumstances in relation to the ship requiring medical attention.
(4) The Visiting Officer, if he is not the Health Officer, shall, on receiving information in the wireless message or otherwise that a person on board the ship has symptoms which may be indicative of infectious disease or that there are circumstances in relation to the ship requiring medical attention, forthwith inform the Health Officer.
(5) When a ship has been granted radio pratique, the master shall, immediately on arrival at a port in Belize, deliver or cause to be delivered to the Health Officer the relevant declaration of health, the ship’s bill of health, if any, and the ship’s deratisation certificate or deratisation exemption certificate, if any.
(6) Any bill of health, deratisation certificate or deratisation exemption certificate shall be returned after inspection.
Flags and Signals
5. The master of a ship coming from a foreign port shall comply with the provisions as to flags and signal lights contained in Schedule C hereto.
Ships not granted radio pratique to be visited
6.-(1) Every ship arriving in Belize from a foreign port, if radio pratique has not been granted, shall be visited on arrival in Belize by the Visiting Officer and the master shall thereupon surrender to the Visiting Officer the declara- tion of health and present to him for inspection any other ship’s papers which the Visiting Officer may desire to inspect.
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(2) The Visiting Officer is hereby authorised to put to the master and to the ship’s surgeon, if any, and to any person on board the ship all such questions as he may deem advisable for the execution of these Regulations.
Restrictions on boarding or leaving ships coming from foreign ports
7.-(1) No person, other than a pilot or a person acting in execution of these regulations, shall, without the general or special permission of the Health Officer, board or leave a ship coming from a foreign port before the same has been granted pratique, and the master shall cause all reasonable steps to be taken to enforce this provision.
(2) Before any person, other than a pilot or a person acting in the execution of these regulations, leaves a ship arriving in Belize from a foreign port, he shall furnish all such information as may reasonably be required by the Visiting Officer or by an authorised officer, including informa- tion as to his name, state of health and origin, and information as to places recently visited and his destination and his address there and shall, if so required by the Health Officer or an authorised officer, complete and sign a certificate of origin and destination in a form from time to time approved by the Quarantine Authority.
Granting of pratique by Visiting Officer
8.-(1) A Visiting Officer may grant pratique to a ship on visiting it if he is satis- fied from the declaration of health and otherwise that during the voyage, or if the voyage has lasted longer than six weeks, during the six weeks immediately preceding arrival-
(a) there has been no death or case of illness on board suspected to be due to infectious disease; and
(b) there has been no plague or undue mortality among rats or mice on board; and
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(c) the ship has not called at an infected port; and
(d) the ship was not overcrowded or in an insanitary condition.
(2) If the Visiting Officer is not a Health Officer and is not so satisfied-
(i) he may refuse pratique and thereupon the ship shall be deemed to be in quarantine and the Visiting Of- ficer shall immediately inform the Health Officer of such refusal;
(ii) the Health Officer shall forthwith visit the ship and there- upon regulation 6 shall apply as though the ship had not been previously visited.
(3) If the Visiting Officer is a Health Officer, then even if he is not so satisfied, he shall grant pratique if he is of opinion that none of the measures for which provision is made in these regulations, other than those relating to persons or things disembarked, require to be taken or that all such measures as are appropriate have been duly taken and if he is not of that opinion he may refuse pratique and thereupon the ship shall be deemed to be in quarantine.
Offences
9. The master of a ship, ship’s surgeon, or other person, as the case may be, who contravenes or fails to comply with the provisions of regula- tions 3, 5, 6 or 7, or of paragraphs (5) and (6) of regulation 4 shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations.
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PART III
PROVISIONS AS TO SHIPS IN QUARANTINE
Detention of Ships
10. A Visiting Officer may give such directions as he may deem expedi- ent to the master of a ship in quarantine for securing the detention of the ship pending the granting of pratique, including directions, if he thinks fit, to take the ship to a specified mooring station, anchorage or berthing place generally or specially approved by the Harbour Master or other appropriate authority for the use of ships in quarantine.
Quarantine guards
11. A Visiting Officer may place on board any ship in quarantine such quar- antine guards as he may think necessary.
Specified infectious diseases
12. In relation to specified infectious diseases, the measures which may be taken and the circumstances in which they may be taken shall be such as are specified in Articles 24 to 27, both inclusive, and Articles 29 to 42, both inclusive, of the Convention, and for that purpose these regulations shall have effect as though those Articles were part of these regulations:
Provided that references in those Articles to the port sanitary author- ity or the port authorities or the sanitary authority of the port or the Govern- ment, and so forth, shall be construed as though they were references to the Quarantine Authority, the Health Officers or an authorised officer.
Other infectious diseases
13.-(1) When any infectious disease other than a specified infectious disease has occurred on board a ship during the six weeks immediately preceding its arrival at a port in Belize, the Health Officer may require all or any of the measures specified in paragraph (2) of this regulation to be taken.
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(2) Such measures may include-
(a) medical inspection of the crew and passengers;
(b) isolation of the sick either on board or on shore;
(c) surveillance of the crew and passengers, who have been exposed to infection, for fourteen days or the period of incubation of the disease, whichever is the shorter period, from the last day of possible exposure to infection;
(d) disinfection of clothing and other articles and of the parts of the ship which the Health Officer may consider infected;
(e) examination of food and water if considered sources of in- fection and the application of appropriate measures;
(f) destruction of animals, birds and insects which may be considered as potential vectors of the disease.
PART IV
PROVISIONS AS TO SHIPS DEPARTING
General power to examine and prohibit persons embarking
14. The Health Officer may examine any person intending to embark in a ship whom he suspects to be suffering from an infectious disease and if, after examination, he is of opinion that the person shows symptoms of any infectious disease he may prohibit his embarkation and the embarkation of any persons in such relations to the sick as to render them liable to transmit an infectious disease.
Infected areas in Belize
15. When any area of Belize is an infected area, the Health Officer shall cause to be taken measures-
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(a) to secure the medical examination of all persons about to leave that area by sea so as to prevent the embarkation of persons showing symptoms of any specified infectious disease and of persons in such relations with the sick as to render them liable to transmit the disease;
(b) in the case of plague, to prevent rats gaining access to the ship and, where indicated, to secure the destruction of rats and mice on board;
(c) in the case of cholera, to ensure that drinking water and food stuffs taken on board are wholesome, and that water taken in as ballast is disinfected if necessary;
(d) in the case of yellow fever, to prevent mosquitoes gaining access to ships;
(e) in the case of typhus, to secure the delousing before embar- kation of all persons suspected of being infested with lice;
(f) in the case of smallpox, to disinfect old clothes and rags before they are packed or baled and to ensure that persons from the infected area are protected against the disease before embar- kation;
(g) if the Health Officer thinks fit, to secure the examination of any clothing, bedding or other article of personal use which be- longs to or is in use or is intended for use by the crew or any person who proposes to embark or is on board and which, in the opinion of the Health Officer or an authorised officer may have been exposed to infection, and to secure the disinfection or destruction of any such clothing, bedding or other article of personal use;
(h) if the Health Officer thinks fit, to secure the disinfection to the satisfaction of the Health Officer or an authorised officer of any parts of the ship which, in the opinion of the Health Officer or
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authorised officer, may be infected.
Offences
16.-(1) Any person who-
(a) knowing or having reason to suspect that he is suffering from an infectious disease embarks in or is conveyed in a ship leaving Belize without the permission of the Health Officer, or
(b) embarks in a ship about to leave an infected area of Belize without submitting himself for examination by the Health Officer, or exports or takes on board any such ship any mer- chandise, stores, baggage, personal effects or other articles from such area without submitting them for examination, and, if required, disinsectisation and disinfection by the Health Officer or an authorised officer, or does any of such things as aforesaid contrary to any prohibition or restriction which the Health Officer may impose with a view to preventing the spread of infection,
shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations.
(2) Any master of a ship, ship owner or ship’s agent, who know- ingly conveys or permits the conveyance in a ship from an infected area of Belize of any person or thing contrary to any prohibition or restriction imposed by or under regulations 14 or 15, shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations.
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PART V
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS AS TO SHIPS ARRIVING AND IN PORT
General power to inspect ships, etc.
17. The Health Officer or an authorised officer shall be entitled at any time to visit and inspect any ship arriving in or lying in a port of Belize, whether or not the ship has come from a foreign port, and-
(a) in any circumstances which would justify the refusal of pratique under these regulations in the case of ships arriving from foreign ports, direct that the ship shall be deemed to be in quarantine for the purposes of all, or any of these regula- tions;
(b) direct that any such action shall be taken as would be appro- priate under these regulations, in the like circumstances in the case of ships arriving from foreign ports.
Power to send ship to another port
18. If the Health Officer is of opinion that the port of Belize at which a ship arrives is not suitably equipped to deal with it for the purposes of these regulations, he may order the master of the ship to take the ship to a port of Belize which is suitably equipped.
General powers
19.-(1) A Health Officer may, in relation to any ship arriving in or lying in a port of Belize, whether the ship has come from a foreign port or otherwise-
(a) medically inspect the crew and passengers;
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(b) detain any such persons for medical examination;
(c) prohibit any such persons from leaving the ship save upon such specified conditions as appear to the Health Officer to be reasonably necessary to prevent the spread of infection;
(d) require the master to take or assist in taking such steps as, in the opinion of the Health Officer, are reasonably neces- sary for preventing the spread of infection by any such person, for the destruction of vermin, and for the removal of conditions in the ship likely to convey infection, including conditions the existence of which might facilitate the har- bouring of vermin.
Duties of master
20. Without prejudice to any other provisions of these regulations, it shall be the duty of the master of every ship which is in any port of Belize forthwith to notify a Visiting Officer, whether the information is requested or not, of any case or suspected case of infectious disease in the ship and of any circum- stances on board which are likely to lead to infection or the spread of infec- tious disease including in his notification particulars as to the sanitary condition of the ship and the presence of dead rats or mice or mortality or sickness among rats or mice in the ship, and any master of a ship who contravenes or fails to comply with these requirements shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations.
Repetition of sanitary measures not necessary
21. A ship, which before arriving at a port in Belize has already been subjected to sanitary measures to the satisfaction of the Health Officer of that port, shall not again be subjected to such measures unless some new incident has occurred which so requires.
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Saving in the case of ships continuing voyage
22. The master of a ship at or approaching a port of Belize who does not desire to submit to any requirements of these regulations which may be appli- cable shall be at liberty to put to sea without being subjected to control under these regulations if he notifies the Health Officer of his intention:
Provided that if he desires to land goods, to disembark passengers or to take on fuel, foodstuffs or water, the Health Officer may grant him permis- sion so to do subject to such conditions, in conformity with the provisions of these regulations, as the Health Officer thinks fit, and the master shall proceed accordingly and put to sea with due despatch, and if he fails so to do he shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations.
Powers as to persons who unlawfuIly board or leave ships
23.-(1) Any person who leaves any ship contrary to the provisions of these regulations may, without prejudice to any other liability, be apprehended by a Visiting Officer, authorised officer, quarantine guard or member of the police department constituted by law in Belize and compelled to return to the ship and, if he is not a passenger or member of the crew, may be dealt with as a passenger.
(2) Any person who boards a ship contrary to any of the provi- sions of these regulations may, if he is not a passenger or member of the crew, be dealt with as a passenger.
Persons suffering from infectious diseases not to land
24. A person on board a ship at a port of Belize who knows or has reason to suspect that he is suffering from an infectious disease shall in no case land without the permission of the Health Officer, and any person who contravenes this provision shall be guilty of an offence against these regula- tions.
CAP. 41]
THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000
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PART VI
DERATISATION OF SHIPS
Deratisation
25.-(1) On the arrival of a ship from a foreign port at an approved port, the Visiting Officer shall call for the deratisation certificate or deratisation exemption certificate, and if such certificate is not forthcoming or is no longer valid he shall inform the Health Officer accordingly.
(2) The Health Officer shall then arrange for the ship to be inspected to ascertain whether it is maintained in such a condition that the number of rats on board is kept down to the minimum, and if he is so satisfied, he shall sign and issue a deratisation exemption certificate.
(3) If, after the ship has been inspected, the Health Officer is of the opinion that it is not maintained in such a condition that the number of rats on board is kept down to the minimum, he shall order the ship to be deratised in a manner to be specified or approved by him, and the master shall forthwith make arrangements for the deratisation of the ship to be carried out to the satisfaction of the Health Officer.
(4) After the deratisation has been completed to his satisfaction, the Health Officer shall sign and issue a deratisation certificate.
(5) When, in the opinion of the Health Officer, it is not possible efficiently to carry out deratisation of the ship, because of its cargo or for other reasons, he may cause the ship to work in quarantine and he shall endorse the time-expired deratisation or deratisation exemption certificate if there is one and make an entry in the bill of health to be issued to the ship before it leaves port, to the effect that the ship was inspected and found rat infested but that it was impracticable to carry out deratisation.
Ships arriving with deratisation certificates
26.-(1) A ship arriving from a foreign port and carrying a valid deratisation
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certificate or deratisation exemption certificate, whether or not it has been granted pratique on arrival, may nevertheless be inspected by or on behalf of the Health Officer, should the Health Officer consider such inspection justified, to deter- mine the extent of rat infestation.
(2) In exceptional cases and for well-founded reasons, which shall be communicated in writing to the master of the ship and to the Quarantine Authority, the Health Officer may, if the port is an approved port, order the ship to be deratised, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in regulations 22 and 30 of these regulations, and, when deratisation has been completed to his sat- isfaction, he shall issue a deratisation certificate.
Form of certificates
27. Deratisation certificates and deratisation exemption certificates shall be in the form prescribed in Schedule D hereto.
Where ship harbours rats but deratisation not possible
28. When it is intended to take a ship, which is not infected or suspected, alongside a jetty or quay and the Health Officer has reason to believe that the ship harbours rats, he may, when it is not possible or desirable to undertake deratisation of the ship, order that it be fended off or moored away from the jetty or quay, to a distance of at least six feet, that all ropes and hawsers be- tween the ship and the shore are fitted with efficient ratguards, that between dusk and dawn gangways are drawn up or brilliantly lighted, and that cargo is unloaded in such a manner as to prevent rats gaining access to the shore.
General deratisation measures
29.-(1) Whenever any ship is at a port of Belize whether an approved port or not, and the Health Officer has reason to believe that the number of rats on board is not kept down to a minimum, he may require the owner, master or ship’s agent to take such steps, under the direction and to the satisfaction of the Health Officer, as are practicable, in the opinion of the Health Officer, to secure complete or partial deratisation:
CAP. 41]
THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000
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Provided that this regulation shall not apply to ships which are in possession of valid deratisation certificates or valid deratisation exemption certificates.
(2) Without prejudice to the provisions of paragraph (1), masters or owners of coastal vessels and harbour lighters may be required by the Quarantine Authority to deratise them in such manner and at such intervals as the Quarantine Authority may direct, and if any requirement under this paragraph is not complied with, the master and owner shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations.
PART VII
MERCHANDISE AND BAGGAGE
Merchandise, etc., not to be put on ship in quarantine without permission
30. Without the general or special permission of the Health Officer, but subject to the provisions of regulation 32, no merchandise, stores, baggage, personal effects or other articles shall be taken off or put on board a ship which has not been granted pratique, and any person who contravenes this provision shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations.
Entry of merchandise and baggage to be permitted subject to certain measures
31. The entry of merchandise and baggage arriving at a suitably equipped port of Belize shall in all cases be permitted, but the following measures may be applied where, in the opinion of the Health Officer, there is danger of infection from a specified infectious disease-
(a) in the case of plague, disinsectisation or disinfection of recently used bedding and clothing and prohibition of the unloading of merchandise from an infected area which is likely to harbour rats or fleas unless adequate precautions to
THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000 Printed by the Government Printer,
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prevent the escape of rats and fleas and to ensure their destruction are taken;
(b) in the case of cholera, disinfection of recently used bedding and clothing and prohibition of the importation of fresh fish, shell fish and vegetables;
(c) in the case of typhus, disinsectisation of recently used bed- ding and clothing and of rags not carried as merchandise in bulk;
(d) in the case of smallpox, disinfection of recently used bedding and clothing and of rags not carried as merchandise in bulk.
Destruction of clothes, etc., likely to carry infections
32. The Health Officer or an authorised officer may order clothes and other articles of small value, including rags not carried as merchandise in bulk, which he considers likely to convey a specified infectious disease, to be destroyed.
Saving of mails
33. Nothing in these regulations shall render liable to detention, disinfec- tion or destruction or shall affect any article forming part of any mail, other than parcel mail, conveyed under the authority of the Postmaster General or of the postal administration of any other Government.
Certificates
34. When merchandise, stores, baggage, personal effects or other articles have been subjected to any measures prescribed in this Part of these regula- tions, the Health Officer or an authorised officer shall issue free of charge, on request by the ship owner, master or ship’s agent, a certificate setting out the measures taken and the reasons therefor.
CAP. 41]
THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000
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PART VIII
OBSERVATION AND SURVEILLANCE
Places for observation and isolation of persons
35. When any place is in use for observation or isolation purposes, no person shall enter or leave the place and no article shall be taken to or removed from the place except with the general or special permission of the Quarantine Authority or the Health Officer or otherwise than on such conditions as the Quarantine Authority or the Health Officer may generally or specially impose.
Power of Health Officer to order isolation or observation or surveillance
36.-(1) Without prejudice to any other powers conferred by these regula- tions, any person, within fourteen days after his arrival in Belize, who, in the opinion of the Health Officer-
(a) is suffering from or suspected to be suffering from a speci- fied infectious disease, shall be placed in isolation; or
(b) is suffering from an infectious disease, other than a specified infectious disease, shall be liable to be placed in isolation at the discretion of the Health Officer; or
(c) has been exposed to the risk of infection by any specified infectious disease, may, at the discretion of the Health Officer, be placed under observation or surveillance during the remainder of the period of incubation; or
(d) has been exposed to risk of infection by any infectious disease other than a specified infectious disease, may, at the discretion of the Health Officer, be placed under surveil- lance as provided in regulation 13.
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(2) When any person arriving in Belize has, in the opinion of the Health Officer, been exposed to infection from yellow fever within the previ- ous six days, then, unless the Health Officer otherwise directs or such person is immune from the disease, the Health Officer shall order him to be kept under observation under Aedes-free conditions for six days or the remainder of the six days, from the last day on which he was exposed to the infection.
(3) An inoculated person who is not yet regarded as immune shall be kept under observation for a period not exceeding six days from the last day of possible exposure to infection.
Duties of persons under observation or surveillance
37.-(1) Any person placed under observation or surveillance shall-
(a) furnish all such information as may reasonably be required to the Health Officer or other authorised officer and shall com- ply with the orders and instructions of such Health Officer or authorised officer;
(b) undergo such medical inspections and examinations, including bacteriological examinations, as the Health Officer may require and submit himself and his personal effects or other articles to disinfection and other measures as the Health Officer may order.
(2) Any person placed under surveillance, who is so required by the Health Officer, shall deposit in the hands of the Health Officer a sum fixed by such Officer, not exceeding ten dollars, for which a receipt shall be given by the Health Officer.
(3) Such deposit shall be declared forfeited, without prejudice to any other liability, by the Quarantine Authority if the person under surveillance neglects to comply with the conditions of surveillance during the period thereof.
(4) At the end of such period the deposit, if not forfeited, shall be
CAP. 41]
THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000
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refunded by the Health Officer on delivery of the receipt given by him.
(5) Any sum forfeited under this paragraph shall be forthwith paid into the Treasury for the use of Belize.
(6) Any person in charge of a child or other person under disability shall be responsible for the compliance of such child or person with the requirements and provisions of this regulation.
Isolation of persons under observation or surveillance
38. Any person under observation or surveillance who shows symptoms of an infectious disease may, if the Health Officer so orders, be placed in isolation.
Surveillance replaced by observation
39. In cases where surveillance is imposed under these regulations it may be replaced by observation in any of the following circumstances-
(a) when it is impossible to exercise surveillance with adequate efficiency;
(b) if the risk of the introduction of infection into Belize is deemed exceptionally serious;
(c) if the Health Officer is satisfied that the person who has been or should be subjected to surveillance has not com- plied or is not likely to comply with the conditions of surveil- lance.
Failure of person under surveillance to report for medical inspection
40.-(1) Any person under surveillance who, on account of illness, is unable to report for medical inspection shall immediately cause the Health Officer responsible for his surveillance to be informed of his illness and its nature
THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000 Printed by the Government Printer,
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and the Health Officer shall forthwith take steps to determine whether or not such person is suffering from an infectious disease.
(2) When any person under surveillance fails to report for medical inspection on the appointed day, the Health Officer responsible for his surveillance shall forthwith cause search to be made for him, and if his failure to report for medical inspection is due to illness, the Health Officer shall immediately visit him.
(3) Any person under surveillance who intends to proceed to an address other than that originally given by him shall immediately notify the Health Officer responsible for his surveillance of the new address.
Change of place during surveillance
41. The Health Officer responsible for the surveillance of a person who is about to proceed to some other place before the period of surveillance has ended shall inform the health authorities of the place to which such person is proceeding of his impending arrival and address there, and of the period of surveillance still uncompleted, and shall also instruct the person under surveil- lance as to whom he shall report to for medical inspection when he arrives at such other place.
Release from observation
42. As soon as any person placed under observation has undergone the observation necessary in his case, he shall be released from observation by the Health Officer.
Offences
43. Any person other than a person acting in the execution of these regulations who contravenes or fails to comply with regulation 36, or any condition imposed thereunder, or with any of the provisions of regulations 38 or 41, shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations.
CAP. 41]
THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000
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Persons improperly leaving places approved for observation or isolation
44. Any person who, contrary to these regulations, leaves any place in use for observation or isolation purposes may, without prejudice to any other liability, be apprehended by a Health Officer or an authorised officer or a member of any police force constituted by law in Belize and taken back to such place.
PART IX
DUTIES OF QUARANTINE AUTHORITY
Quarantine Authority to keep list of infected areas and to supply Visiting Officers with copies
45. It shall be the duty of the Quarantine Authority to cause to be compiled and kept up to date a list of infected areas, including ports and seaboards which serve infected areas, and to cause all Visiting Officers to be supplied with copies of the list and of all amendments thereto.
Lists of ports equipped to deal with ships in certain cases
46. The Quarantine Authority shall prepare lists of ports of Belize which are equipped from a sanitary point of view to deal with ships arriving in Belize in specified circumstances.
Information required by Convention and Agreements
47. The Quarantine Authority shall be responsible for the collection and transmission, directly or through the appropriate channels, of all information required to be collected and transmitted under the Convention or under any Agreement to which the Government is a party relating to quarantine mat- ters.
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PART X
CHARGES FOR SERVICES
Charges for sanitary measures applied
48.-(1) Where the master of any ship is required by or in pursuance of these regulations to carry out any measures with a view to reducing the danger or preventing the spread of infection, the Quarantine Authority may, at the request of the master, and, if thought fit, at the master’s cost, cause any such requirement to be complied with instead of enforcing the requirement against the master.
(2) When the Quarantine Authority causes any such requirement to be complied with at the cost of the master, the Quarantine Authority may require the amount of the charge for the work or a part thereof to be paid to or deposited with the Quarantine Authority before the work is undertaken.
(3) The amount of the charge for any work so to be undertaken by the Quarantine Authority shall be such reasonable sum as, to the exclusion of any charge or claim in respect of profit, represents the actual or estimated cost to be incurred by the Quarantine Authority in undertaking the work, so, however, that it shall not exceed the sum of one hundred dollars unless notice of the proposed charge has been given to the master before the work is undertaken.
(4) All such charges may be recovered against the master, shipowner or his agent.
Charges
49. The charges to be made in respect of persons undergoing quarantine isolation or observation, and the incidence of such charges shall be such as are provided for in rules made under the Act:
Provided that no charge shall be made for any child under three years of age, and for any child over three years of age and under ten years of age
CAP. 41]
THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000
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half the prescribed charges shall be payable and shall be payable by and recoverable from the person in charge of the child.
Further provisions as to expenses and charges
50.-(1) All expenses and charges referred to in these regulations shall be payable to the Quarantine Authority.
(2) Where any expenses or charges are payable by the master of a ship, the Comptroller of Customs and the Harbour Master may refuse to clear the ship until all liability in respect of the expenses or charges has been discharged.
PART XI
MISCELLANEOUS
General duty to comply with orders, instructions and conditions
51.-(1) Subject to the provisions of these regulations, the Quarantine Authority, the Health Officer and any authorised officer may give such orders and instructions and impose such conditions and take such action as they may deem desirable for the purposes of carrying these regulations into effect.
(2) Every person to whom these regulations apply shall comply with all such orders, instructions and conditions, and shall furnish all such information as the Quarantine Authority, Health Officer or authorised officer may reasonably require, including information as to his name, destination and address, and every person who has for the time being the custody or charge of a child or other person who is under disability shall comply with any orders, instructions or conditions so given, made or imposed and shall furnish all such information as aforesaid in respect of such child or other person.
Certificates as to sanitary measures taken
52.-(1) Whenever the master, the ship-owner or his agent so demands, the
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Health Officer shall furnish him with a free certificate stating the sanitary measures which have been applied to the ship and specifying the reason why they have been applied.
(2) Passengers who have been subjected to sanitary measures shall be entitled to a free certificate from the Health Officer indicating the date of their arrival and the measures to which they and their baggage have been subjected.
CAP. 41]
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SCHEDULE A
DECLARATION OF HEALTH
(To be rendered by the masters of ships arriving from ports outside
Belize)
Before answering questions please read instructions overleaf
Port of ........................................... Date .......................................
Name of Vessel .............................. From .................To.................
Nationality ..................................... Master’s name.........................
Net Registered Tonnage..................................................................
Deratisation or Certificate ..................... Dated............................ Deratisation Exemption Issued at .............................................................
No. of Cabin ....................... No. of Passengers
Deck ........................ Crew...............................
List of ports of call from commencement of voyage with dates of
departure
.............................................................................................
.............................................................................................
} {
THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000 Printed by the Government Printer,
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Health Questions
1. Has there been on board during the voyage* any case or sus- pected case of plague, cholera, yellow fever, typhus fever or smallpox? Insert particulars in the Schedule hereto.
2. Has plague occurred or been suspected amongst the rats or mice on board during the voyage* or has there been an unusual mortality amongst them?
3. Has any person died on board during the voyage* otherwise than as a result of accident? Insert particulars in Schedule hereto.
4. Is there on board or has there been during the voyage* any case of illness which you suspect to be of an infectious nature? Insert particu- lars in Schedule hereto.
5. Is there any sick person on board now? Insert particulars in Schedule hereto.
Note.-In the absence of a surgeon, the master should regard the fol- lowing symptoms as ground for suspecting the existence of infectious disease; fever accompanied by prostration or persisting for several days, or attended with glandular swellings, or any acute skin rash or eruption with or without fever; severe diarrhoea or diarrhoea with symptoms of collapse; jaundice ac- companied by fever.
6. Are you aware of any other condition on board which may lead to infection or the spread of infectious disease?
I hereby declare that the particulars and answers to the questions given in this Declaration of Health (including the Schedule) are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.
(Sgd.).............................................. Master.
Date....................................... Countersigned.................................. Ship’s Surgeon.
*If more than six weeks have elapsed since the voyage began, it will suffice to give particulars for the last six weeks.
Answer Yes or No.
...........................
..........................
...........................
..........................
..........................
...........................
CAP. 41]
THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000
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SCHEDULE TO THE DECLARATION
PARTICULARS OF EVERY CASE OF ILLNESS OR DEATH
OCCURRING ON BOARD
*State whether recovered; still ill; died.
**State whether still on board; landed at (give name of port); buried at sea.
Instructions
The master of a ship coming from a port outside Belize must ascertain the state of health of all persons on board and fill in and sign the Declaration of Health in the foregoing pages.
The master should send an International Quarantine Message either direct to the Visiting Officer or through the agent. The message may be in “clear” or in “code” and must be sent within the time specified in the Code.
The message must contain such of the items as are appropriate of the Standard Quarantine Messages (included in the Medical Section of the 1931 Intercolonial Code of Signals (pages 229 to 232 British edition) ).
If the ship is not fitted with wireless, the appropriate signal must be hoisted on arrival.
emaN fossalC
gnitaR egA xeS ecaR
fotroP -rabmE
noitak
foetaD -rabmE
noitak
erutaN fo
ssenlli
foetaD tesnosti
stluseR fo
*ssenlli
-sopsiD fola
**esaC
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The master should take all steps necessary to ensure that no persons other than a pilot and his leadsman shall board or leave the vessel without the permission of the Health Officer until pratique has been granted.
SCHEDULE B [Reg. 4]
WIRELESS MESSAGES*-ITEM OF INFORMATION
Item I
The following is an International Quarantine Message from vessel indicated of port indicated which expects to arrive at time indicated on date indicated.
Item II
My port of departure (first port of loading) and my last port of call were as indicated by the immediately following groups.
Item III
No case of infectious disease, or of sickness suspected to be of an infectious nature, has occurred on board during the last fifteen days.
Number indicated cases of infectious disease(s) indicated have occurred during the last fifteen days.
Item IV
I have no other case of sickness on board.
I have number indicated other cases of sickness on board.
*For notes on the sending of a Standard Quarantine Message, see page 229 of the British edition of the 1931 International Code of Signals.
CAP. 41]
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Item V
No deaths from sickness infectious or otherwise have occurred on board during the voyage.
Number indicated deaths from sickness infectious or otherwise have occurred on board during the voyage.
Item VI
I have a ship’s surgeon on board.
I have no ship’s surgeon on board.
Item VII
I do not wish to disembark any sick.
I wish to disembark number indicated sick, suffering from disease(s) indicated.
Item VIII
My crew consists of number indicated, and I have no passengers on board.
My crew consists of number indicated, and I have number indicated passengers.
Item IX
I do not propose to disembark any passengers.
I propose to disembark number indicated passengers of class indi- cated.
THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000 Printed by the Government Printer,
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SCHEDULE C
USE OF FLAGS AND SIGNALS
Ships must show one of the following signals when coming within the limits of a port and until free pratique is granted.
By day (i.e., between sunrise and sunset)
(i) “Q” flag signifying “my ship is healthy and I request free pratique”.
(ii) “Q” flag over first substitute (QQ) signifying “my ship is sus- pect, that is to say, I have had a case or cases of infectious disease more than five days ago or there has been unusual mortality among rats on board”.
(iii) “Q” flag over “L” flag (QL) signifying “my ship is infected, that is to say, I have had a case or cases of infectious disease less than five days ago”.
The day signal shall be shown at the masthead or where it can best be seen.
By night: Red light over white light, signifying “I have not received free pratique”.
The lights should be not more than six feet apart and in a vertical line one over the other.
The night signal shall be shown at the peak or other conspicuous place where it can best be seen.
CAP. 41]
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SCHEDULE D
DERATISATION CERTIFICATE*
DERATISATION EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE*
Given under Article 2 of the International Sanitary Convention of
Paris, 1926
(NOT TO BE TAKEN AWAY BY PORT AUTHORITIES)
Date.................................... Port of.......................................
THIS CERTIFICATE records the inspection and exemption* deratisation*
at this port on the above date
of the S.S.......................of net tons from............................
In accordance with the Quarantine Laws and Regulations of the territory of
............................................................................................ At the time the *empty holds were *laden with .............. tons of........................
........................................... cargo*
(*Strike out the unnecessary indications.)
{
{
THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000 Printed by the Government Printer,
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OBSERVATIONS: (In case of exemption, state here the measures taken for maintaining the vessel in such a condition that the rat population would be reduced to a minimum.)
.............................................................................................
.............................................................................................
.............................................................................................
..............................................................
.................................................... Seal, Name, Qualification and Signature of the Health Officer.
CAP. 41]
THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000
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.........)sreciffO(sretrauQ
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DERATISATION DERATISATION EXEMPTION
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Totals (a) Strike out the unnecessary indications. (b) In case any of the compartments enumerated are not on the vessel this fact must be mentioned. (c) Old or recent evidence of excreta, runs or cutting.
THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000 Printed by the Government Printer,
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:noitagimufyB ......................................tnagimuF .............................erusopxesruoH
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)9(
CERTIFICATE (a) CERTIFICATE (a)
(d) None. Slight. Moderate or Pronounced. (e) State the weight of Sulphur or of Cyanide or of Cyanide salts or quantity of H.C.N. used.
.............................. Seal, Name, Qualification and Signature of the Officer.
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THE APPENDIX
EXTRACTS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONVENTION
SIGNED AT PARIS ON THE 21ST OF JUNE, 1926
Article 18
It rests with the authority of the country of destination to decide in what manner and at what place disinfection shall be carried out and what methods shall be adopted to secure the destruction of rats or insects (fleas, lice, mosquitoes, etc.). These operations shall be performed in such a manner as to injure articles as little as possible. Clothes and other articles of small value, including rags not carried as merchandise in bulk, may be destroyed by fire.
It is the duty of each State to settle questions relative to the payment of compensation for any damage caused by disinfection, deratisation and disinsectisation, or by the destruction of the articles referred to above.
If, on account of these measures, charges are levied by the sanitary authority, either directly or indirectly through a company or an individual, the rates of these charges shall be in accordance with a tariff published in advance and so drawn up that the State or the sanitary authority may not, on the whole, derive any profit from its application.
SECTION IV. MEASURES AT PORTS AND MARINE
FRONTIERS
(A). PLAGUE
Article 24
Infected ships. A ship shall be regarded as “infected”-
(1) If it has a case of human plague on board;
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(2) Or if a case of human plague broke out more than six days after embarkation;
(3) Or if plague infected rats are found on board.
Suspected Ship. A ship shall be regarded as “suspected”-
(1) If a case of human plague broke out on board in the first six days after embarkation;
(2) Or if investigations regarding rats have shown the existence of an unusual mortality without determining the cause thereof.
The ship shall continue to be regarded as suspected until it has been subjected to the measures prescribed by this Convention at a suitably equipped port.
Healthy Ship. A ship shall be regarded as “healthy” notwithstanding its having come from an infected port, if there has been no human or rat plague on board either at the time of departure or during the voyage, or on arrival, and the investigations regarding rats have not shown the existence of an unusual mortality.
Article 25
Plague- infected ships shall undergo the following measures-
(1) medical inspection;
(2) the sick shall immediately be disembarked and isolated;
(3) all persons who have been in contact with the sick and those whom the port sanitary authority have reason to consider suspect shall be disembarked if possible. They may be sub- jected to observation or surveillance,* or to observation followed by surveillance, provided that the total duration of these measures does not exceed six days from the time of arrival of the ship. It rests with the sanitary authority of the port after taking into consideration the date of the last case, the condition of the ship and the local possibilities, to apply
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that one of these measures which seems to them preferable. During the same period the crew may be prevented from leaving the ship except on duty notified to the sanitary authority;
(4) bedding which has been used, soiled linen, wearing apparel and other articles which, in the opinion of the sanitary autho- ity, are infected shall be disinsected and, if necessary, dis- infected;
(5) the parts of the ship which have been occupied by persons suffering from plague or which, in the opinion of the sanitary authority, are infected shall be disinsected and, if necessary, disinfected;
(6) the sanitary authority may require deratisation before the discharge of the cargo, if they are of the opinion, having regard to the nature of the cargo and the way in which it is loaded, that it is possible to effect a total destruction of rats before discharge. In other cases, the ship may not be subjected to a new deratisation after discharge. In other cases the complete destruction of the rodents shall be effected on board when the holds are empty. In the case of ships in ballast, this process shall be carried out as soon as possible before taking cargo.
Deratisation shall be carried out so as to avoid, as far as possible, damage to the ship and cargo (if any). The operation must not last longer than twenty-four hours. Any charges made in respect of these operations of deratisation and any question of compensation for damage shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of Article 18.
If a ship is to discharge a part of its cargo only, and if the port authorities consider that it is impossible to carry out complete deratisation, the said ship may remain in the port for the time required to discharge that
*Persons under observation or surveillance shall give facilities for all clinical or bacteriological
investigations which are considered necessary by the sanitary authority.
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Part of its cargo, provided that all precautions, including isolation, are taken to the satisfaction of the sanitary authority to prevent rats from passing from the ship to the shore, either during unloading or otherwise.
The discharge of cargo shall be carried out under the control of the sanitary authority, who shall take all measures necessary to prevent the staff employed on this duty from becoming infected. This staff shall be subjected to observation or to surveillance for a period not exceeding six days from the time when they have ceased to work at the unloading of the ship.
Article 26
Plague-suspected ships shall undergo the measures specified in (1), (4), (5) and (6) of Article 25.
In addition, the crew and passengers may be subjected to surveil- lance, which shall not exceed six days reckoned from the date of arrival of the ship. The crew may be prevented during the same period from leaving the ship except on duty notified to the Sanitary Authority.
Article 27
Healthy Ships. Ships free from plague shall be given free pratique immediately, with the reservation that the sanitary authority of the port of arrival may prescribe the following measures with regard to them-
(1) medical inspection to determine whether the ship comes within the definition of a healthy ship;
(2) destruction of rats on board under the conditions specified in (6) of Article 25, in exceptional cases and for well-founded reasons, which shall be communicated in writing to the captain of the ship;
(3) the crew and passengers may be subjected to surveillance during a period which shall not exceed six days reckoned from the date on which the ship left the infected port. The crew may be prevented during the same period from leaving the ship except on duty notified to the Sanitary Authority.
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Article 28
All ships, except those employed in national coastal service, shall be periodically deratised, or be permanently so maintained that any rat popula- tion is kept down to the minimum. In the first case they shall receive Deratisation Certificates, and in the second Deratisation Exemption Certificates.
Governments shall make known through the Office International d’Hygiene Publique those of their ports possessing the equipment and personnel necessary for the deratisation of ships.
A Deratisation Certificate or a Deratisation Exemption Certifi- cate shall be issued only by the sanitary authorities of ports specified above. Every such certificate shall be valid for six months but this period may be extended by one month in the case of a ship proceeding to its home port.
If no valid certificate is produced, the sanitary authority at the ports mentioned in the second paragraph of this Article may after inquiry and inspection-
(a) themselves carry out deratisation of the vessel, or cause such operations to be carried out under their direction and control. On the completion of these operations to their satisfaction they shall issue a dated Deratisation Certifi- cate. They shall decide in each case the technique which should be employed to secure the practical extermination of rats on board, but details of the deratising process applied and of the number of rats destroyed shall be entered on the certificate. Destruction of rats shall be carried out so as to avoid as far as possible damage to the ship and cargo (if any). The operation must not last longer than twenty-four hours. In the case of ships in ballast the process shall be carried out before taking cargo. Any charges made in respect of these operations of deratisation, and any question of compensation for damage, shall be determined in accor- dance with the provisions of Article 18.
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(b) Issue a dated Deratisation Exemption Certificate if they are satisfied that the ship is maintained in such a condition that the rat population is reduced to a minimum. The reasons justifying the issue of such a certificate shall be set out in the certificate.
Deratisation and deratisation exemption certificates shall be drawn up as far as possible in a uniform manner. Model certificates shall be prepared by the Office International d’Hygiene Publique.
Article 29
Infected Ship. A ship shall be regarded as “infected” if there is a case of cholera on board, or there has been a case of cholera during the five days previous to the arrival of the ship in port.
Suspected Ship. A ship shall be regarded as “suspected” if there has been a case of cholera at the time of departure or during the voyage, but no fresh case in the five days previous to arrival. The ship shall continue to be regarded as suspected until it has been subjected to the measures prescribed by this Convention.
Healthy Ship. A ship shall be considered “healthy” if, although arriving from an infected port or having on board persons proceeding from an infected local area, there has been no case of cholera either at the time of departure, during the voyage, or on arrival.
Cases presenting the clinical symptoms of cholera, in which no cholera vibrios have been found or in which vibrios not strictly conforming to the character of cholera vibrios have been found shall be subject to all measures required in the case of cholera.
Germ carriers discovered on the arrival of a ship shall be submitted after disembarkation to all the obligations which may be imposed in such a case by the laws of the country of arrival on its own nationals.
Article 30
Cholera Infected Ships. In the case of cholera, “infected” ships shall undergo the following measures-
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(1) medical inspection;
(2) the sick shall be immediately disembarked and isolated;
(3) the crew and passengers may be disembarked and either be kept under observation or subjected to surveillance during a period not exceeding five days reckoned from the date of arrival of the ship; however, persons who can show that they have been protected against cholera by vaccination effected within the period of the previous six months, excluding the last six days thereof, may be subjected to surveillance, but not to observation;
(4) bedding which has been used, soiled linen, wearing apparel and other articles, including foodstuffs, which, in the opinion of the sanitary authority of the port, have been recently contaminated shall be disinfected;
(5) the parts of the ship that have been occupied by persons infected with cholera or that the sanitary authority regard as infected shall be disinfected;
(6) unloading shall be carried out under the supervision of the sanitary authority, which shall take all measures necessary to prevent the infection of the staff engaged in unloading. This staff shall be subjected to observation or to surveillance which may not exceed five days from the time when they ceased unloading;
(7) when the drinking water stored on board is suspected it shall be emptied out after disinfection and replaced, after disinfection of the tanks, by a supply of wholesome drinking water;
(8) the sanitary authority may prohibit the emptying of water ballast in port without previous disinfection if it has been taken in at an infected port;
(9) the emptying or discharge of human dejecta, as well as the waste waters of the ship, into the waters of the port may be
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forbidden, unless they have been previously disinfected.
Article 31
Cholera Suspected Ships. In the case of cholera, “suspected” ships shall undergo the measures prescribed in (1), (4), (5), (7), (8) and (9) of Article 30.
The crew and passengers may be subjected to surveillance during a period which shall not exceed five days reckoned from the date of arrival of the ship. It is recommended that the crew be prevented during the same period from leaving the ship except on duty notified to the sanitary authority.
Article 32
Clinical Cholera. If the ship has been declared infected or sus- pected on account only of a case on board presenting the clinical features of cholera, and two bacteriological examinations, made with an interval of not less than twenty-four hours between them, have not revealed the presence of cholera or other suspicious vibrios, the ship shall be considered healthy.
Article 33
Healthy Ships. In the case of cholera, “healthy” ships shall be given pratique immediately.
The sanitary authority of the port of arrival may prescribe as regards these ships the measures specified in (1), (7), (8) and (9) of Article 30.
The crew and passengers may be subject to surveillance during a period which shall not exceed five days reckoned from the date of arrival of the ship. The crew may be prevented during the same period from leaving the ship except on duty notified to the Sanitary Authority.
Article 34
Since anti-cholera vaccination is a method of proved efficacy in staying cholera epidemics, and consequently in lessening the likelihood of the spread of the disease, sanitary administrations are recommended to employ in the largest measure possible and as often as practicable, specific vaccina-
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tion in cholera foyers and to grant certain advantages as regards restrictive measures to persons who have elected to be vaccinated.
(C). YELLOW FEVER
Article 35
Infected Ship. A ship shall be regarded as infected if there is a case of yellow fever on board, or if there was one at the time of departure or during the voyage.
Suspected Ship. A ship shall be regarded as suspected if, having had no case of yellow fever it arrives after a voyage of less than six days from an infected port or from a port in close relation with an endemic centre of yellow fever, or it arrives after a voyage of more than six days and there is reason to believe that it may transport adult stegomyia (aedes aegypti) emanating from the said port.
Healthy Ship. A ship shall be regarded as healthy, notwithstanding its having come from an infected port, if on arriving after a voyage of more than six days it has had no case of yellow fever on board and either there is no reason to believe that it transports adult stegomyia or it is proved to the satisfaction of the authority of the port arrival-
(a) that the ship, during its stay in the port of departure, was moored at a distance of at least 200 metres from the inhabited shore and at such a distance from harbour vessels (pontons) as to make the access of stegomyia improbable;
(b) or that the ship, at the time of departure, was effectively fumigated in order to destroy mosquitoes.
Article 36
Yellow Fever Infected Ships. Ships infected with yellow fever shall undergo the following measures-
(1) medical inspection;
(2) the sick shall be disembarked, and those of them whose
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illness has not lasted more than five days shall be isolated in such a manner as to prevent infection of mosquitoes;
(3) the other persons who disembark shall be kept under ob- servation or surveillance during a period which shall not exceed six days reckoned from the time of disembarkation;
(4) the ship shall be moored at least 200 metres from the inhabited shore and at such a distance from the harbour boats (pontons) as will render the access of stegomyia improbable;
(5) the destruction of mosquitoes in all phases of growth shall be carried out on board, as far as possible before discharge of cargo. If discharge is carried out before the destruction of mosquitoes, the personnel employed shall be subjected to observation or to surveillance for a period not exceeding six days from the time when they ceased unloading.
Article 37
Yellow Fever Suspected Ships. Ships suspected of yellow fever may be subjected to the measures specified in (1), (3), (4) and (5) of Article 36.
Nevertheless, if the voyage has lasted less than six days and if the ship fulfils the conditions specified in paragraphs (a) or (b) of Article 35 relating to healthy ships, the ship shall be subjected only to the measures prescribed in Article 36 (1) and (3) and to fumigation.
When thirty days have been completed after the departure of the ship from the infected port, and no case has occurred during the voyage, the ship may be granted free pratique subject to preliminary fumigation should the sanitary authority consider this to be necessary.
Article 38
Healthy Ships. Healthy ships shall be granted free pratique after medical inspection.
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Article 39
The measures prescribed in Articles 36 and 37 concern only those regions in which stegomyia exists, and they shall be applied with due regard to the climatic conditions prevailing in such regions and to the stegomyia index.
In other regions they shall be applied to the extent considered necessary by the sanitary authority.
Article 40
The masters of ships which have touched at ports infected with yellow fever are specially advised to cause a search to be made for mosqui- toes and their larvae during the voyage and to secure their systematic destruction in all accessible parts of the ship, particularly in the store rooms, galleys, boiler rooms, water tanks and other places specially likely to harbour stegomyia.
(D). TYPHUS
Article 41
Ships which, during the voyage have had, or at the time of their arrival, have, a case of typhus on board, may be subjected to the following mea- sures:-
(1) medical inspection;
(2) the sick shall immediately be disembarked, isolated and deloused;
(3) other persons reasonably suspected to harbourlice, or to have been exposed to infection, shall also be deloused, and may be subjected to surveillance during a period which shall be specified, but which in any event should never exceed twelve days, reckoned from the date of delousing;
(4) bedding which has been used, linen, wearing apparel and other articles which the sanitary authority consider to be
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infected shall be disinfected;
(5) the parts of the ship which have been occupied by persons ill with typhus and which the sanitary authority regard as infected shall be disinfected.
The ship shall immediately be given free pratique.
It rests with each Government to take, after disembarkation, the mea- sures which they consider appropriate to ensure the surveillance of persons who arrive on a ship which has had no case of typhus on board, but who have left a local area where typhus is epidemic within the previous twelve days.
(E). SMALLPOX
Article 42 Ships which have had, or have a case of smallpox on board either
during the voyage or at the time of arrival may be subjected to the following measures-
(1) medical inspection;
(2) the sick shall immediately be disembarked and isolated;
(3) other persons reasonably suspected to have been exposed to infection on board, and who, in the opinion of the sanitary authority are not sufficiently protected by recent vaccination, or by a previous attack of smallpox, may be subjected to vaccination or to surveillance, or to vaccination followed by surveillance, the period of surveillance being specified according to the circumstances, but in any event not exceed- ing fourteen days, reckoned from the date of arrival of the ship;
(4) bedding which has been used, soiled linen, wearing apparel and other articles which the sanitary authority consider to have been recently infected shall be disinfected;
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(5) only the parts of the ship which have been occupied by persons ill with smallpox and which the sanitary authority
regard as infected shall be disinfected.
The ship shall immediately be given free pratique.
It rests with each Government to take, after disembarkation, the measures which they consider appropriate to ensure the surveillance of per- sons who are not protected by vaccination, and who arrive on a ship which has had no case of smallpox on board, but who have left a local area, where smallpox is epidemic within the previous fourteen days.
SECOND SCHEDULE
[Section 4]
QUARANTINE (AIR) REGULATIONS
PART I
INTRODUCTORY
Interpretation
1. In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires-,
“Aedes” means Aedes aegypti and any potential vectors of yellow fever;
“aerodrome”, “aircraft” and “commander” have the meanings assigned to them in section 2 of the Act;
“aircraft coming from an infected area” in relation to an aircraft arriv- ing at an aerodrome or other place means an aircraft-
(a) which left a plague, cholera, typhus or smallpox infected area
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within the period of incubation of those diseases;
(b) which left a yellow fever infected or endemic area, or a locality in close relation with any such area, within a period of six days immediately preceding its arrival, or after a longer period if there is reason to believe that the aircraft may be carrying adult mosquitoes emanating from the said area or locality;
“authorised aerodrome” means an aerodrome for the time being ap- proved as a customs aerodrome for the purpose of the laws relating to cus- toms;
“authorised officer” means a person authorised to act as such in the case in question by virtue of an order made under regulation 3;
“Convention” means the International Sanitary Convention for Aerial Navigation signed at the Hague on the 12th of April, 1933, of which relevant extracts are set forth in the Appendix hereto;
“crew” includes any person having duties on board an aircraft in con- nection with the flying or the safety of the flight of the aircraft, or employed on board in any way in the service of the aircraft, the passengers, or the cargo;
“day” means an interval of twenty-four hours;
“endemic area” means an area in which the Health Officer has reason to believe that yellow fever exists, in a form recognisable clinically, biologically or pathologically;
“foreign” means situate outside Belize;
“Health Officer” means the appropriate officer appointed as such un- der section 3 of the Act, and includes a medical practitioner acting under the direction of the Quarantine Authority or a Health Officer for the purpose of executing these regulations or any of them;
“immune”, in relation to yellow fever, means that the person in question produces a certificate to the satisfaction of the Health Officer issued by a medi- cal officer or institution recognised by the Quarantine Authority-
(a) to the effect that the bearer has been inoculated for the first
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time more than ten days and less than four years previously, or
(b) to the effect that he has been reinoculated within the past four years; or
(c) to the effect that he has recovered from an attack of yellow fever and that his blood contains immune bodies against yellow fever as proved by a test carried out by an institution regularly carrying out biological tests for yellow fever;
“infected” in relation to an aircraft arriving at an aerodrome or other place, means that the aircraft has on board a case or suspected case of plague, yellow fever, typhus or smallpox, or a case presenting clinical signs of cholera, or which has had such a case or suspected case on board and has not since been subjected to the measures prescribed by these regulations;
“infected area” means a local area in which the Health Officer has reason to believe that-
(a) a first case of plague recognised as non-imported has oc- curred or in which rodent plague exists or has existed during the previous six months; or
(b) cholera has formed a foyer, that is to say that the occurrence of new cases beyond the immediate surroundings of the first case proves that the spread of the disease has not been lim- ited to the place where it began; or
(c) a first case of yellow fever recognised as non-imported has occurred; or
(d) typhus or smallpox exists in epidemic form, that is to say, that the occurrence of new cases indicates that the spread of the disease is not under control;
“infectious disease” means any epidemic or acute infectious disease, and includes open pulmonary tuberculosis but does not include venereal dis- ease;
“isolation” means the removal to a hospital or other suitable place
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approved by the Health Officer, of a person suffering, or suspected to be suf- fering, from an infectious disease, and his detention therein until, in the opinion of the Health Officer-
(a) he is free from infection, or
(b) if not so free, he may be discharged without undue danger to public health;
“local area” means a well defined area such as a province, district, island, town or quarter of a town, port or village, whatever may be its extent or population, and includes an aerodrome which is, or may be designated as, a local area for the purposes of the Convention;
“observation” means the detention under medical supervision of per- sons in such places and for such periods as may be directed by a Health Of- ficer;
“passenger” means any person, other than a member of the crew, car- ried in an aircraft;
“period of incubation” for the purpose of these regulations shall be deemed to be-
For plague ... ... ... ... 6 days For cholera ... ... ... ... 5 days For yellow fever ... ... ... 6 days For typhus ... ... ... ... 12 days For smallpox ... ... ... ... 14 days
“Quarantine Authority” means the Quarantine Authority established under the powers conferred by section 3 of the Act;
“sanitary aerodrome” means an aerodrome declared under regulation 3 to be a sanitary aerodrome;
“specified infectious disease” means plague, cholera, yellow fever, typhus and smallpox;
“surveillance” means that persons are not detained, that they may move
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about freely, but that they are required to report for medical examination at such intervals and during such period and to such persons as may be directed by a Health Officer;
“the Act” means the Quarantine Act.
Officers
2.-(1) The Quarantine Authority may by order authorise any officer or person or any member of a class of officers or persons to act as an authorised officer for the purposes of these regulations or for some specified purpose of these regulations.
(2) Every such officer or person shall exercise his powers and perform his duties subject to the general or special direction and control of the Quarantine Authority and the Health Officer.
Approval of sanitary aerodromes
3. The Minister may, by order, declare any authorised aerodrome in Belize to be a sanitary aerodrome for the purposes of these regulations, where he is satisfied that there are available at the aerodrome-
(a) a Health Officer and adequate sanitary staff, whether or not in permanent attendance;
(b) a place for medical inspection;
(c) equipment for taking and despatching suspected material to a laboratory for examination if such examination cannot be made at the aerodrome;
(d) facilities for the isolation, transport and care of the sick, for the observation of contacts separately from the sick and for carrying out any other prophylactic measure in suitable premises within the aerodrome or in proximity to it;
(e) apparatus necessary for carrying out disinfection, disinsec- tisation and deratisation if required, as well as any other mea-
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sures laid down in these regulations;
(f) a sufficient supply of wholesome drinking water;
(g) a proper and safe system for the removal and disposal of ex- creta, refuse and waste water;
(h) adequate protection from rats.
PART II
MOVEMENTS OF AIRCRAFT
Use of aerodromes
4.-(1) All aircraft entering Belize shall make their first landing at a pre- scribed aerodrome as hereinafter defined and all aircraft on leaving Belize shall depart from a prescribed aerodrome.
(2) If any of the provisions of this regulation are contravened as regards any aircraft, the commander thereof shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations.
(3) For the purposes of this regulation the expression “pre- scribed aerodrome” means-
(a) a sanitary aerodrome; or
(b) an authorised aerodrome approved by order of the Quaran- tine Authority for use as a prescribed aerodrome either generally or in the particular case or class of case.
(4) Where the Health Officer is of opinion that the aerodrome at which an aircraft arrives is not suitably equipped to deal with such aircraft, he may order the commander thereof to take it to an aerodrome which is suitably equipped.
Aircraft landing otherwise than at permitted aerodromes
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5.-(1) In the event of an aircraft on entering Belize being compelled to land elsewhere than at an aerodrome at which it is permitted to land under these regulations, the following provisions shall have effect-
(a) as soon as practicable after the landing, the commander shall cause to be reported to a Health Officer, authorised officer or Government Medical Officer the circumstances of the flight and the emergency landing;
(b) without the permission of a Health Officer, authorised officer or Government Medical Officer, no person shall remove any merchandise or baggage from the aircraft, and no passenger or member of the crew shall depart from the landing place, unless such removal or departure is necessary for the pur- poses of safety or for the preservation of life or property, and the commander shall take all steps in his power to secure com- pliance with this provision;
(c) a Health Officer, authorised officer or Government Medical Officer may give all such orders and instructions to the crew and passengers, and may impose all such conditions upon them, as he may deem advisable having regard to the principles of these regulations.
(2) Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any of the provisions of paragraph (1) of this regulation shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations.
PART III
GENERAL SANITARY PROVISIONS
Duties of commander
6.-(1) The commander of every aircraft arriving in Belize shall-
(a) as long as possible before arrival, inform the Health Officer or an authorised officer by wireless of any death, and of any
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case or suspected case of infectious disease, on board the aircraft;
(b) on arrival-
(i) answer all questions as to health conditions on board, which may be put to him by the Health Officer or an authorised officer, and furnish either or both of them with all such information and assis- tance as may reasonably be required for the pur- poses of these regulations; and
(ii) make and present to a Health Officer or an authorised officer a declaration of health in a form from time to time approved by the Quarantine Authority, in which shall be set out the places of call and any facts relevant to public health which have arisen in the aircraft in the course of the voyage and any health measures undergone by the aircraft, the crew and the passengers before depar- ture and at places of call.
(2) The commander of an aircraft who contravenes or fails to comply with any of the provisions of this regulation shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations.
Details of specified infectious diseases to be recorded
7. When any specified infectious disease makes its appearance in any part of Belize, the Health Officer or an authorised officer shall enter all neces- sary details in the record of all aircraft leaving an aerodrome during a period of fifteen days from the date on which information of such specified infectious disease was received.
Duties of crew and passengers
8.-(1) Every member of the crew and passenger of an aircraft arriving in Belize shall furnish all such information as may reasonably be required by the Health Officer or an authorised officer, including information as to his name,
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state of health and origin, and information as to places recently visited, his destination and his address there, and shall, if so required by the Health Officer or an authorised officer complete and sign a certificate of origin and destination in a form from time to time approved by the Quarantine Author- ity.
(2) Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any of the provisions of this regulation shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations.
Detention of aircraft by an authorized officer
9. When an aircraft arrives in Belize and it appears to an authorised officer from information given to him by the commander, crew or passengers or from the journey log book or declaration of health that-
(a) during the voyage there has been in the aircraft a death otherwise than by accident or a case of illness caused or suspected to be caused by an infectious disease; or
(b) that the aircraft is an infected aircraft or an aircraft coming from an infected area, he shall order that the aircraft be detained and shall immediately report the matter to the Health Officer and to the person in charge of the aero- drome, and the Health Officer shall forthwith take such action as may be appropriate under these regulations.
Powers of Health Officer
10. Without prejudice to any other provisions of these regulations, the Health Officer may, in relation to any aircraft arriving at an aerodrome in Belize-
(a) medically inspect the crew and passengers;
(b) detain any such persons for medical examination;
(c) prohibit any such persons from leaving the aerodrome save upon such specified conditions as appear to the Health Of- ficer to be reasonably necessary to prevent the spread of
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infection;
(d) order that the aircraft be detained, notifying such order to the person in charge of the aerodrome, to enable such action as may be appropriate under these regulations to be taken, but an aircraft shall not be detained longer than is necessary for the taking of such action;
(e) if the aircraft has arrived from an area from which it is liable to bring insect vectors of malaria or other diseases, order that the aircraft shall be disinsected.
Measure to be applied on the landing of sick persons
11. If there is on board an aircraft arriving at an aerodrome in Belize a case of infectious disease other than a specified infectious disease, duly so verified by the Health Officer, the sick person may be landed and, at the discretion of the Health Officer, isolated, and such other sanitary measures as such officer may consider desirable shall be applied, the other passengers and crew shall have the right to continue the voyage after medical inspection and the applica- tion of the appropriate sanitary measures, such measures being so arranged that the aircraft is detained as short a time as possible.
Disinsectisation, prior to landing
12. The Quarantine Authority may by special order, which may be justified under the provisions of The International Sanitary Convention for Aerial Navigation, 1933, prohibit aircraft coming from an area outside Belize from which they are liable to bring insect vectors of malaria or any other disease from landing in Belize unless they have been disinsected immediately before leaving that area or during the voyage, and if this provision is not complied with the commander of the aircraft shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations.
Discharge of matter from aircraft
13. The discharge from aircraft of matter capable of producing an outbreak of infectious disease is prohibited, and any person who shall contra- vene this prohibition shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations.
Observation and surveillance
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14. These regulations shall have effect as though Part VIII of the Quar- antine (Maritime) Regulations, and any regulations amending or replacing the same, were incorporated in these regulations:
Provided that-
(a) in the case of persons in transit who are liable to surveillance under these regulations the Health Officer may permit them to continue their voyage but shall take such steps as he may deem appropriate to notify the sanitary authorities of the place to which they are proceeding;
(b) in the case of persons in transit who are liable to observa- tion in respect of specified infectious diseases other than yellow fever, the Health Officer may permit them to continue their voyage if he is satisfied that the sanitary authorities of the places to which they are proceeding do not object to this course.
General powers in relation to aircraft departing
15.-(1) The Health Officer may, before the departure of an aircraft, medically inspect the passengers and crew and may prohibit the embarka- tion of any person with symptoms of any infectious disease.
(2) In the absence of the Health Officer, the person in charge of the aerodrome or any authorised officer shall have power to defer the departure of any person until he has been medically inspected.
PART IV
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SPECIAL SANITARY MEASURES IN THE CASE OF PLAGUE,
CHOLERA, TYPHUS AND SMALLPOX
Application of Part IV
16. The provisions of this Part shall be without prejudice to any other provisions of these regulations.
Infected aircraft and aircraft coming from infected areas
17. If an infected aircraft or an aircraft coming from an infected area arrives at an aerodrome, the appropriate measures set out in the Schedule hereto in relation to specified infectious diseases other than yellow fever shall be carried out.
Aircraft departing from infected areas
18. In the case of an aircraft departing from an infected area, in which there is infection by a specified infectious disease other than yellow fever, the appropriate measures set out below shall be carried out, that is to say-
(a) cleansing and disinfection to the satisfaction of the Health Officer of any parts of the aircraft which, in his opinion, require to be cleansed and disinfected;
(b) medical inspection of passengers and crew, and the prohibi- tion of embarkation or departure of any such person who shows symptoms of any specified infectious disease, as well as any such person in such close relation with the sick as to render him liable to transmit the infection of any such dis- ease;
(c) inspection of the clothing, bedding, if any, and other per- sonal effects of the passengers and crew and prohibition of the loading or carriage of any such clothing, bedding or personal effects which are not in a reasonable state of cleanliness;
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(d) disinfection of clothing, bedding and personal effects as afore- said at the discretion of the Health Officer;
(e) at the discretion of the Health Officer, disinsectisation of the passengers and crew and their clothing, bedding, if any, and other personal effects, and disinsectisation and deratisation of the aircraft;
(f) prohibition of the taking on board or carriage in the aircraft of any article which, in the opinion of the Health Officer, is ca- pable of carrying infection, unless the Health Officer is satis fied that it has been efficiently disinfected.
PART V
SPECIAL SANITARY MEASURES IN THE
CASE OF YELLOW FEVER
Application of Part V
19. The provisions of this Part shall be without prejudice to any provi- sions of these regulations.
Prohibition of landing at or departing from certain areas
20. Except with the general or special permission of the Quarantine Authority, no aircraft shall land in or depart from any yellow fever infected or endemic area in Belize.
Prohibition of aircraft entering Belize from certain areas outside Belize
21.-(1) Except with the general or special permission of the Quarantine Authority, no aircraft coming from a yellow fever infected or endemic area outside Belize shall enter Belize.
(2) When permission is given to any such aircraft as provided in paragraph (1), the aircraft shall use only such aerodromes in Belize as may
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be specified by the Quarantine Authority.
Measures on arrival of aircraft from territory in which yellow fever exists
22. On the arrival of an aircraft from a yellow fever infected area or from an aerodrome situated in or near a yellow fever infected area the following measures shall be taken-
(a) disinsectisation of the aircraft prior to landing of passengers and cargo;
(b) medical inspection of passengers and crew;
(c) isolation under Aedes-free conditions of persons suspected to be suffering from yellow fever, or who are suffering from any febrile illness until the nature of the illness is determined;
(d) observation as provided in paragraph (2) of regulation 37 of the Quarantine (Maritime) Regulations, as incorporated in these regulations by regulation 14 thereof;
(e) surveillance for six days from last day of possible exposure to infection of persons who are not subjected to observation on arrival:
Provided that a person in possession of a valid certificate of inoculation against yellow fever shall not for the purpose of the control of yellow fever be subjected to quarantine restrictions.
Measures on arrival of aircraft from an aerodrome situated in an endemic area
23.-(1) On the arrival of an aircraft from an aerodrome situated in an endemic area, the following measures shall be taken-
(a) disinsectisation of the aircraft prior to landing of passengers and cargo;
(b) medical inspection of passengers and crew;
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(c) isolation under Aedes-free conditions of persons suspected to be suffering from yellow fever;
(d) surveillance, for six days from the last day of possible expo- sure to infection, of passengers and crew who are not im- mune.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1) of this regulation, the Ameri- can mainland between the latitudes of 13 o N. and 30 o S. and the West Coast of Africa between the latitudes of 16o N. and 12o S. shall be deemed to be endemic areas, but between these latitudes such areas may be excluded by direction of the Quarantine Authority as are known to the Quarantine Author- ity to be areas in which yellow fever does not exist in a form recognisable clinically, biologically or pathologically.
Aircraft in transit landing to take in supplies
24. Aircraft from healthy areas which in transit to Belize have called at an aerodrome in an infected or endemic area merely to take in supplies, shall be exempt from measures specified in regulations 22 and 23 of these regulations other than disinsectisation on arrival in Belize, provided the fact that the air- craft has called at such an aerodrome for the sole purpose of taking in supplies is entered in the journey log-book, declaration form or other record.
Measures on departure from certain areas of Belize
25. Before the departure of an aircraft from a yellow fever infected or endemic area of Belize, the following measures shall be taken-
(a) passengers and crew who are not immune shall undergo ob- servation under Aedes-free conditions for six days imme- diately before departure;
(b) all merchandise, baggage and other articles from the area and, at the discretion of the Health Officer, from other areas shall be disinsected before loading;
(c) merchandise, baggage and other articles on board the plane shall be disinsected at the discretion of the Health Officer;
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(d) the aircraft shall be disinsected immediately before departure.
Restriction as to certain aerodromes
26. No person other than-
(a) an immune person, or
(b) a person arriving in an aircraft from a place outside Belize, or
(c) an intending passenger or member of the crew who, with the approval of the Health Officer, has undergone or is about to undergo observation in accordance with the provisions of regu- lation 25;
shall enter an aerodrome which is in a yellow fever infected or endemic area of Belize.
Persons in transit
27. Any person in transit by air who arrives at any aerodrome to which regulation 26 applies from a place outside Belize shall unless he is immune, be detained under Aedes-free conditions within the precincts of the aero- drome or elsewhere until his departure by air.
Offences
28. The commander of an aircraft which shall contravene regulation 20 or 21, any person who shall contravene regulation 26, and any person who shall leave a place of detention ordered under regulation 27, shall be guilty of offences against these regulations.
PART VI
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DUTIES OF QUARANTINE AUTHORITY
Duty to keep authorised aerodromes free from mosquitoes
29. It shall be the duty of the Quarantine Authority to take such practi- cable measures as may lawfully be taken to ensure that authorised acrodromes, and premises in the vicinity thereof in Belize are kept free from mosquitoes.
Information required by Convention and Agreements
30. The Quarantine Authority shall be responsible for the collection and transmission, directly or through the appropriate channels, of all information required to be collected and transmitted under the Convention or under any Agreement to which the Government is a party relating to quarantine matters.
Lists of infected and endemic areas
31. It shall be the duty of the Quarantine Authority to cause to be compiled and kept up to date a list of infected and endemic areas, both within and without Belize, and to cause all Health Officers to be supplied with copies of the list as from time to time amended.
PART VII
CHARGES FOR SERVICES
Charges for sanitary measures applied
32.-(1) Where the commander of any aircraft is required by or in pursu- ance of these regulations to carry out any measures with a view to reducing the danger or preventing the spread of infection, the Quarantine Authority may, at the request of the commander, and, if thought fit, at his cost, cause any such requirement to be complied with instead of enforcing the require- ment against the commander.
(2) When the Quarantine Authority causes any such require- ment to be complied with at the cost of the commander, the Quarantine Authority may require the amount of the charge for the work or a part
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thereof to be paid to or deposited with the Quarantine Authority before the work is undertaken.
(3) The amount of the charge for any work so to be undertaken by the Quarantine Authority shall be such reasonable sum as, to the exclusion of any charge or claim in respect of profit, represents the actual or estimated cost to be incurred by the Quarantine Authority in undertaking the work, so, however, that it shall not exceed the sum of one hundred dollars unless notice of the proposed charge has been given to the commander before the work is undertaken.
Charges
(4) All such charges may be recovered against the commander, aircraft owner or his agent.
Scale of charges
33. The charges to be made in respect of persons undergoing quarantine isolation or observation, and the incidence of such charges, shall be such as are provided for in rules made under the Act:
Provided that no charge shall be made for any child under three years of age, and for any child over three years of age and under ten years of age half the prescribed charges shall be payable and shall be payable by and recovered from the person in charge of the child.
Further provisions as to expenses and charges
34.-(1) All expenses and charges referred to in these regulations shall be payable to the Quarantine Authority.
(2) Where any expenses or charges are payable by the commander of an aircraft to the Quarantine Authority in relation to an aircraft at an aero- drome, the Comptroller of Customs and the person in charge of the aerodrome may refuse to clear the aircraft until all liability in respect of the expenses or charges has been discharged.
PART VIII
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MISCELLANEOUS
Saving as to mails
The Schedule
35. Save as provided in paragraph (2) of regulation 38, or in Parts A and B of the Schedule hereto, nothing in these regulations shall render liable to detention, disinfection or destruction any article forming part of any mail conveyed under the authority of the Postmaster General, or of the postal administration of any other Government, or shall prejudicially affect the receipt on board and delivery in due course of any such mail in accordance with the provisions of the Post Office Act.
Health Officers to take account of previous measures
36. In applying measures to an aircraft coming from an infected area, the Health Officers of every aerodrome shall take into account all measures which have already been applied to the aircraft in any other aerodrome in Belize or elsewhere and which are duly noted in the journey log-book, declaration form or other record.
Aircraft in certain cases not to be subjected to measures a second time
37. Aircraft coming from an infected area, which have, in the opinion of the Health Officer, already been subjected to satisfactory measures either in Belize or elsewhere, shall not be subjected to such measures, other than disinsectisation, a second time on arrival at another aerodrome if no subse- quent incident has occurred which calls for their re-application and if the air- craft has not called at an aerodrome which is, or is within, an infected area except to take in fuel.
Saving in the case of aircraft continuing voyage
38.-(1) If the commander of an aircraft which has landed in Belize at an aerodrome which is not its final destination does not desire to submit to any measures specified in these regulations which may be applicable, and notifies the Health Officer accordingly, he shall be at liberty to continue the voyage without such submission:
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Provided that if the aircraft has on board a case of yellow fever, or comes from a yellow fever infected area, the Health Officer may require that it shall be subjected to such of the measures specified by these regulations in relation to that disease as he considers necessary.
(2) Where the commander notifies the Health Officer as aforesaid, he shall not land goods or disembark passengers except with the permission of the Health Officer and subject to such conditions as the Health Officer may impose in conformity with the provisions of these regulations.
General duty to comply with orders, instructions and conditions
39.-(1) Subject to the provisions of these regulations, the Quarantine Author- ity, the Health Officer or any authorised officer may give such orders and in- structions and impose such conditions and take such action as they may deem desirable for the purpose of carrying these regulations into effect.
(2) Every person to whom these regulations apply shall comply with all such orders, instructions and conditions, and shall furnish all such infor- mation as the Quarantine Authority, Health Officer or authorised officer may reasonably require (including information as to his name, destination and ad- dress) and every person who has for the time being the custody or charge of a child or other person who is under disability shall comply with any orders, instructions or conditions so given, made or imposed, and shall furnish all such information as aforesaid in respect of such child or other person.
Health Officer to furnish certificates of measures taken
40.-(1) The Health Officer applying measures shall, whenever requested, fur- nish free of charge to the commander of the aircraft or any other interested person, a certificate specifying the nature of such measures, the methods em- ployed, the parts of the aircraft treated and the reasons for the application of such measures.
(2) The Health Officer shall also furnish, on demand and without charge, to passengers arriving by an aircraft in which a case of specified infec- tious disease has occurred, a certificate giving particulars of the date of their arrival and of the measures to which they and their personal effects have been subjected.
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THIRD SCHEDULE
MEASURES TO BE CARRIED OUT IN RESPECT OF AN INFECTED AIRCRAFT OR AN AIRCRAFT COMING FROM AN
INFECTED AREA
PART A
PLAGUE
I. Infected Aircraft
1. - The aircraft shall be inspected and the passengers and crew shall be medically examined.
2. The sick shall immediately be disembarked and isolated.
3. All other persons shall be placed under surveillance or, in excep- tional circumstances, observation, for a period expiring not later than six days after the date of arrival of the aircraft at the aerodrome.
4. Bedding which has been used, soiled linen, wearing apparel and other articles which, in the opinion of the Health Officer, are infected, shall be cleansed of vermin and, if necessary, disinfected, and merchandise proposed to be discharged may, if it is considered liable to harbour rats or fleas, be subjected to such measures as the Health Officer thinks fit.
5. The parts of the aircraft which have been occupied by persons suffering from plague or which the Health Officer considers to be infected shall be cleansed of vermin, and, if necessary, disinfected.
6. The Health Officer may in exceptional cases require the aircraft to be deratised if there is reason to suspect the presence of rats on board and if the operation was not carried out at the aerodrome of departure.
II. Aircraft coming from an Infected Area
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1. The passengers and crew may be medically examined.
2. Any such persons may be placed under surveillance or, in exceptional circumstances, observation for a period expiring not later than six days after the date on which the aircraft left the infected area.
3. The Health Officer may in exceptional circumstances require the aircraft to be cleansed of vermin and to be deratised if these operations were not carried out at the aerodrome of departure.
4. Merchandise proposed to be discharged from the aircraft may, if the Health Officer considers it liable to harbour rats or fleas, be subjected to such measures as he thinks fit.
PART B
CHOLERA
I. Infected Aircraft
1. The aircraft shall be inspected and the passengers and crew shall be medically examined.
2. The sick shall immediately be disembarked and isolated.
3. All other persons shall be placed under surveillance or, in exceptional circumstances, observation for a period expiring not later than five days after the date of arrival of the aircraft:
Provided that any person who satisfies the Health Officer that he has been vaccinated for cholera within the preceding six months, excluding the last six days thereof, shall not be placed under observation.
4. The Health Officer may prohibit the unloading from the aircraft of the following fresh foods, namely, fish, shellfish, fruit and vegetables.
5. Bedding which has been used, soiled linen, wearing apparel and other articles which in the opinion of the Health Officer are infected, shall be disin-
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fected.
6. The parts of the aircraft which have been occupied by persons in- fected with cholera or which the Health Officer considers to be infected shall be disinfected.
7. If the drinking water stored on board is suspected by the Health Of- ficer, it shall be disinfected and, if practicable, emptied out and replaced, after disinfection of the container, by a supply of wholesome drinking water.
II. Aircraft coming from an Infected Area
1. The passengers and crew may be medically examined.
2. Any such person may be placed under surveillance or, in exceptional circumstances, observation for a period expiring not later than five days after the date on which the aircraft left the infected area:
Provided that any person who satisfies the Health Officer that he has been vaccinated for cholera within the preceding six months, excluding the last six days thereof, shall not be placed under observation.
3. The unloading from the aircraft of the following fresh foods, namely, fish, shellfish, fruit and vegetables may be prohibited by the Health Officer.
PART C.
TYPHUS FEVER
I. Infected Aircraft
1. The passengers and crew shall be medically examined.
2. The sick shall immediately be disembarked, isolated and deloused.
3. Any other person reasonably suspected to have been exposed to infection may be placed under surveillance or, in exceptional circumstances,
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observation for a period expiring not later than twelve days after the date on which he was deloused.
4. Any person reasonably suspected to be harbouring lice shall be de- loused.
5. Bedding which has been used, linen, wearing apparel and any other articles which the Health Officer considers to be infected shall be disinfected.
6. The parts of the aircraft which have been occupied by persons suffer- ing from typhus fever or which the Health Officer considers to be infected shall be disinfected.
II. Aircraft coming from an Infected Area
The passengers and crew may be placed under surveillance or, in ex- ceptional circumstances, observation for a period expiring not later than twelve days after the date on which they left the infected area.
PART D.
SMALLPOX
I. Infected Aircraft
1. The passengers and crew shall be medically examined.
2. The sick shall immediately be disembarked and isolated.
3. Any other person reasonably suspected by the Health Officer to have been exposed to infection on board shall be offered vaccination and shall be placed under surveillance or, in exceptional circumstances, observa- tion for a period expiring not later than fourteen days after the date of arrival of the aircraft:
Provided that a person shall not be placed under surveillance or observation if after vaccination he shows signs of early reaction attesting an
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adequate immunity, or if he satisfies the Health Officer that he is already suffi- ciently immunised against smallpox, and for the purpose of this paragraph a person shall be regarded as already sufficiently immunised against smallpox if-
(a) he produces a vaccination certificate to the satisfaction of the Health Officer bearing the date thereof and signed or countersigned by a medical officer in the employment of the Government or of the health authorities of the territory in which the certificate was issued to the effect that he has been vaccinated not less than fourteen days and not more than three years prior to the date of arrival; or
(b) he shows signs of a previous attack of smallpox; or
(c) he shows signs of successful vaccination carried out not less than fourteen days and not more than three years prior to the date of arrival; or
(d) he shows local signs of early reaction to anti-variolous vaccination attesting an adequate immunity.
4. Bedding which has been used, soiled linen, wearing apparel and any other article which the Health Officer considers to have been recently infected shall be disinfected.
5. The parts of the aircraft which have been occupied by persons suffering from smallpox or which the Health Officer considers to be infected shall be disinfected.
II. Aircraft coming from an Infected Area
The passengers and crew, except those persons who satisfy the Health Officer that they fall within the proviso to paragraph 3 of Part D-1 of the Third Schedule, may be placed under surveillance or, in exceptional circumstances, observation for a period expiring not later than fourteen days after the date on which they left the infected area.
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EXTRACTS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONVENTION FOR AERIAL NAVIGATION, 1933
Article 8
In order that a sanitary aerodrome may be designated as a local area for the purpose of notification of infectious diseases and for other purposes as provided by the present Convention it must be so organised that-
(1) the entry and exit of any persons are under the supervision and control of the competent authority;
(2) in the case of a disease specified in Article 18 of this Con- vention occurring in the surrounding territory, access to the aerodrome by any route other than the air is forbidden to persons suspected of being infected, and measures are applied to the satisfaction of the competent authority with a view to preventing persons who are resident in or passing through the aerodrome from being exposed to the risk of infection, either by contact with persons from outside or by any other means.
In order that an authorised aerodrome which is not a sanitary aero- drome may similarly be designated a local area, it is necessary in addition that it shall be so situated, topographically, as to be beyond all probable risk of infec- tion from without.
Article 18
The diseases which are the subject of the special measures pre- scribed by this Part of the Convention are plague, cholera, yellow fever, typhus and smallpox.
Article 38
The sanitary aerodrome shall be-
(1) situated at an adequate distance from the nearest inhabited centre;
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(2) provided with arrangements for a water supply completely protected against mosquitoes and kept as free as possible
from mosquitoes by systematic measures for the suppres- sion of breeding places and the destruction of the insects in all stages of development;
(3) provided with mosquito-proof dwellings for the crews of aircraft and for the staff of the aerodrome;
(4) provided with a mosquito-proof dwelling in which passen- gers can be accommodated or hospitalised.
