Interpretation of bringing Ebola hemorrhagic fever into the quarantinable infectious disease management system

(en.nhfpc.gov.cn)

Updated: 2014-10-23

Recently, the NHFPC and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine jointly issued a notice to bring Ebola hemorrhagic fever into the quarantinable infectious disease management system. What's the reason behind the move?

In March 2014, Ebola hemorrhagic fever first broke out in Guinea, and then gradually spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. The epidemic situation is becoming increasingly grim. The WHO announced on August 8 that Ebola hemorrhagic fever in West Africa was a "public health emergency of international concern." Ebola hemorrhagic fever is still spreading in West Africa. As of August 26, 2014, a total of 3,069 cases have been reported in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, according to latest statistics from the WHO.

In view of the recent epidemic situation, the NHFPC and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine made the decision to bring Ebola hemorrhagic fever into the quarantinable infectious disease management system after expert arguments and the State Council's approval to step up efforts in keeping Ebola out of China and protecting public health safety.

What is the concept of a quarantinable infectious disease? What are China's requirements in quarantinable infectious disease prevention and control?

According to the Frontier Health and Quarantine Law, quarantinable infectious diseases refers to pestis, cholera, yellow fever and other infectious diseases determined and publicized by the State Council.

Management requirements of the Frontier Health and Quarantine Law and enforcement regulations are as follows:

1. The sixth article of the law stipulates that when quarantinable infectious diseases are prevalent abroad or in China, the State Council can issue orders to block borders or adopt other emergency measures.

2. The 10th article of the law stipulates that when quarantinable epidemics or suspected cases are found at frontier ports, or someone dies for an unknown reason, officials at border ports and transport units shall immediately report it to the frontier health and quarantine organ, and apply for provisional quarantine inspection.

3. The 12th article of the law stipulates that the frontier health and quarantine office must immediately quarantine patients of quarantinable infectious disease, with the isolation period determined by medical test results. Suspected quarantinable epidemic cases will be put under observation for the disease incubation period. Corpses of quarantinable epidemic diseases must be cremated at nearby places.

4. The 13th article of the law stipulates that transportation tools from quarantinable infectious disease areas that may be contaminated should undergo disinfection, deratization, deinsectization or other sanitization treatments.

5. The 14th article of the law stipulates that the frontier health and quarantine organ should conduct sanitary inspection of luggage, cargo or postal parcels from epidemic areas, or those contaminated by quarantinable infectious disease. They should carry out disinfection, deratization, deinsectization or other sanitization treatment.