Part 3Public health investigations
Public health investigations
20Public health incidents
1
A public health incident exists if—
a
a circumstance mentioned in subsection (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) occurs; and
b
there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the circumstance is likely to give rise to a significant risk to public health.
2
The first circumstance is that—
a
a person has an infectious disease; or
b
there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a person has such a disease.
3
The second circumstance is that—
a
a person has been exposed to an organism which causes infectious disease; or
b
there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a person has been so exposed.
4
The third circumstance is that—
a
a person is contaminated; or
b
there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a person is contaminated.
5
The fourth circumstance is that—
a
a person has been exposed to a contaminant; or
b
there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a person has been so exposed.
6
The fifth circumstance is that—
a
any premises are or any thing in or on premises is infected, infested or contaminated; or
b
there are reasonable grounds to suspect that any premises are or thing is so infected, infested or contaminated.
7
In subsection (6), “infected”, “infested” and “contaminated” have the meanings given by section 72(5).