In forceAmended2020 Revised Edition

Contents

Infectious Diseases Act 1976 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 3 · Control of Infectious Diseases Within Singapore

19A. Surveillance and contact tracing measures at premises

Amended

Last amended by an amending law of 2024. 3 amendments in all.

(1)

If the Director-General of Health is satisfied that any surveillance or contact tracing measure is necessary to prevent the spread or possible outbreak of any infectious disease at or in the vicinity of any premises, the Director-General of Health may, by written notice, direct any person in charge of the premises to —

(a)

conduct any surveillance or contact tracing measure at the premises, and carry out any other measure relating to the surveillance or contact tracing measure, as specified in the notice;

(b)

allow any Health Officer, or any person authorised by a Health Officer, to conduct any surveillance or contact tracing measure at the premises as specified in the notice; or

(c)

facilitate the conduct of the surveillance or contact tracing measure by any Health Officer or person authorised by a Health Officer mentioned in paragraph (b).

(1A)

Despite subsection (1), if a PHT Order or PHE Order is in force, the appropriate Minister may, by order in the Gazette, direct all persons or any class of persons in charge of any premises to carry out all or any of the measures in subsection (1).

(1B)

Where an order is made under subsection (1A), a written notice under subsection (1) is not required.

(2)

Any person in charge of the premises who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with any direction to the person in a written notice under subsection (1) or an order under subsection (1A) to which the person is subject shall be guilty of an offence.

(2A)

Any person on any premises in respect of which a direction is given by written notice under subsection (1) or by order under subsection (1A) must cooperate with the person in charge of the premises so as to enable the person in charge of the premises to comply with the direction.

(2B)

Any person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes subsection (2A) shall be guilty of an offence.

(3)

Without limiting subsection (2), where any direction in a written notice under subsection (1) or an order under subsection (1A) has not been complied with in relation to any premises, the Director-General of Health or a Health Officer may, after giving reasonable notice, and without warrant and using such force as may be necessary, do all or any of the following:

(a)

enter the premises;

(b)

take or cause to be taken such measures at the premises as specified in the written notice or order.

(4)

The costs and expenses reasonably incurred by the Director-General of Health or a Health Officer under subsection (3) may be recovered as a debt due to the Government from the person in default.

(5)

In this section, “person in charge of the premises” includes —

(a)

any occupier, lessee or person who is responsible for the management of the premises; or

(b)

any manager, assistant manager or supervisor of the premises or any person holding an analogous appointment.

Terms defined in s 2

appropriate Minister
Defined · s 2
“appropriate Minister” means —(a)in the following cases, the Minister charged with the responsibility for health and sanitary measures in relation to vessels, aircraft, vehicles and persons entering or leaving Singapore:(i)the establishment of any advisory committee under section 5 for the purpose of giving advice to the Director‑General or the Director‑General, Food Administration;(ii)any purpose relating to sections 28, 29 and 33 to 45, including the making of subsidiary legislation in relation to any of those sections; or(b)in any other case, the Minister charged with the responsibility for regulation of diseases and disease control;
Open s 2
contact tracing measure
Defined · s 2
“contact tracing measure” means any measure to facilitate the tracing of contacts of an infectious disease;
Open s 2
Director-General
Defined · s 2
“Director-General” means the Director‑General of Public Health appointed under section 3(1) of the Environmental Public Health Act 1987;
Open s 2
Health Officer
Defined · s 2
“Health Officer” means a Health Officer appointed by the Director‑General, the Director‑General, Food Administration or the Director under section 4;
Open s 2
infectious disease
Defined · s 2
“infectious disease” means —(a)any of the diseases specified in the First Schedule; and(b)for the purposes of sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 17A, 19, 55, 57A and 59A, includes any other disease —(i)that is caused or is suspected to be caused by a micro‑organism or any agent of disease;(ii)that is capable or is suspected to be capable of transmission by any means to human beings; and(iii)that, the Director has reason to believe, if left uninvestigated or unchecked, is likely to result in an epidemic of the disease;
Open s 2
occupier
Defined · s 2
“occupier”, in relation to any premises or vessel, means the person in occupation of the premises or vessel or having the charge or control thereof either on the person’s own account or as an agent of another person;
Open s 2
premises
Defined · s 2
“premises” means messuages, buildings, lands, easements and hereditaments of any tenure whether open or enclosed, whether public or private and whether maintained or not under statutory authority, and includes any place or structure or any part thereof used or intended to be used for human habitation or for employment or any other purpose;
Open s 2
surveillance
Defined · s 2
“surveillance” means subjecting a person or persons to medical examinations or observations carried out over a period of time (whether or not continuously) and includes carrying out any measures to facilitate those medical examinations or observations;
Open s 2