Singapore legislation

Section 21A

of Infectious Diseases Act 1976

Section 21A

Certain persons not to act in manner likely to spread disease

Amended by5/20195/20195/20195/20195/2019

(1)

A person who knows, or has reason to suspect, that he or she is a case or carrier or contact of a disease set out in the Second Schedule must not expose other persons to the risk of infection by his or her presence or conduct in any public place or any other place used in common by persons other than the members of his or her own family or household.

Amended by5/2019

(2)

A person having the care of an individual whom the person knows, or has reason to suspect, is a case or carrier or contact of a disease set out in the Second Schedule must not cause or permit that individual to expose other persons to the risk of infection by that individual’s presence or conduct in any place mentioned in subsection (1).

Amended by5/2019

(3)

A person must not lend, sell, transmit or expose, without previous disinfection, any clothing, bedding or rags which he or she knows to have been exposed to infection from a disease set out in the Second Schedule, or any other article which he or she knows to have been so exposed and which is liable to carry such infection.

Amended by5/2019

(4)

Any person who contravenes subsection (1), (2) or (3) shall be guilty of an offence.

(5)

In proceedings for an offence under subsection (4) for contravening subsection (1) or (2), it is a defence for the accused to prove, on a balance of probabilities, that the accused’s presence or conduct in the place mentioned in subsection (1) or (2), as the case may be —

(a)

was necessary for the purpose of obtaining medical treatment; or

(b)

was authorised by the Director.

Amended by5/2019

(6)

Where the Director has designated a hospital or other place for the treatment of any disease set out in the Second Schedule, subsection (5)(a) applies only in relation to the obtaining of medical treatment at the designated hospital or place for that disease.

Amended by5/2019

(7)

A person shall not incur any liability for contravening subsection (3) by transmitting with proper precautions any article for the purpose of having it disinfected.