REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE
GOVERNMENT GAZETTE
ACTS SUPPLEMENT
Published by Authority

NO. 8]Friday, February 22 [2019

The following Act was passed by Parliament on 14 January 2019 and assented to by the President on 11 February 2019:—
Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Act 2019

(No. 5 of 2019)


I assent.

HALIMAH YACOB,
President.
11 February 2019.
Date of Commencement: 25 March 2019
An Act to amend the Infectious Diseases Act (Chapter 137 of the 2003 Revised Edition).
Be it enacted by the President with the advice and consent of the Parliament of Singapore, as follows:
Short title and commencement
1.  This Act is the Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Act 2019 and comes into operation on a date that the Minister charged with the responsibility for regulation of diseases and disease control appoints by notification in the Gazette.
Amendment of section 2
2.  Section 2 of the Infectious Diseases Act (called in this Act the principal Act) is amended —
(a)by deleting the definition of “AIDS” and substituting the following definition:
“ “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 for the purpose of giving advice to the Director‑General under section 5;
(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;”;
(b)by inserting, immediately after the definition of “contact”, the following definition:
“ “contact tracing measure” means any measure to facilitate the tracing of contacts of an infectious disease;”;
(c)by inserting, immediately after the definition of “HIV Infection”, the following definition:
“ “individually‑identifiable”, when used to describe information or samples pertaining to a person, means that the identity of that person can be readily discovered or ascertained from that information or sample;”;
(d)by inserting, immediately after the definition of “master”, the following definition:
“ “medical examination” includes the carrying out by a person (called the examiner) of any of the measures mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (f), with a view to ascertaining a person’s state of health, whether or not the examiner is present with the person being examined:
(a)physical examination of the person;
(b)obtaining the person’s bodily samples;
(c)obtaining images of, or measuring, the person’s physiology;
(d)measuring or monitoring the person’s physiological signs;
(e)obtaining the clinical history of the person;
(f)a measure to facilitate the carrying out of anything in paragraphs (a) to (e);”;
(e)by deleting the definition of “Minister”; and
(f)by deleting the definition of “surveillance” and substituting the following definition:
“ “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;”.
Amendment of section 3
3.  Section 3 of the principal Act is amended —
(a)by deleting the word “Minister” in subsections (1) and (2) and substituting in each case the words “appropriate Minister”;
(b)by deleting the words “and VI” in subsection (1) and substituting the words “, VI and VIIA and sections 26, 27, 31, 32, 45A and 45B”;
(c)by inserting, immediately after the words “Part V” in subsection (2), the words “, except sections 26, 27, 31, 32, 45A and 45B”; and
(d)by inserting, immediately after subsection (4), the following subsection:
(5)  To avoid doubt, Part V does not prevent the exercise of any power conferred by another Part in relation to any vessel, person or article to which Part V applies.”.
Amendment of section 6
4.  Section 6 of the principal Act is amended —
(a)by deleting the words “an infectious disease” in subsections (1), (2) and (6) and substituting in each case the words “a prescribed infectious disease”;
(b)by deleting subsection (3) and substituting the following subsection:
(3)  A person in a prescribed class, who is aware or suspects that —
(a)another person is suffering from, or is a carrier of, a prescribed infectious disease; or
(b)another person has died whilst suffering from, or being a carrier of, a prescribed infectious disease,
must notify the Director, within the prescribed time and in such form or manner as the Director may require, of the fact in paragraph (a) or (b), as the case may be.”; and
(c)by inserting, immediately after the words “Notification of” in the section heading, the word “prescribed”.
Amendment of section 7
5.  Section 7(2) of the principal Act is amended by deleting paragraphs (a) and (b) and substituting the following paragraphs:
(a)to furnish the Director, within or at the times and in the form or manner the Director specifies, with any of the following where the Director requires:
(i)any information (known to the person at those times);
(ii)any sample of any substance or matter in the possession or control of that person at those times, whether obtained under this Act or otherwise; and
(b)to submit to a medical examination at the times the Director specifies.”.
Amendment of section 17
6.  Section 17 of the principal Act is amended —
(a)by deleting the word “Minister” in subsections (1) and (2) and substituting in each case the words “appropriate Minister”; and
(b)by deleting the words “outbreak or spread” in subsection (1) and substituting the words “spread or possible outbreak”.
New section 19A
7.  The principal Act is amended by inserting, immediately after section 19, the following section:
Surveillance and contact tracing measures at premises
19A.—(1)  If the Director 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 may, by written notice, direct any person in charge of the premises to —
(a)conduct any surveillance or contact tracing measure at the premises 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).
(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) shall be guilty of an offence.
(3)  Without limiting subsection (2), where any direction in a written notice under subsection (1) has not been complied with in relation to any premises, the Director 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.
(4)  The costs and expenses reasonably incurred by the Director 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.”.
Repeal and re-enactment of section 21
8.  Section 21 of the principal Act is repealed and the following section substituted therefor:
Control of occupation, trade or business
21.—(1)  The Director may give a direction to —
(a)any person who is a case or carrier of an infectious disease and is carrying on or may carry on any occupation, trade or business; or
(b)any person carrying on any occupation, trade or business in a manner as is likely to cause the spread of any infectious disease,
about the taking of preventative action that the Director reasonably believes is necessary to prevent the possible outbreak or prevent or reduce the spread of the infectious disease.
(2)  Without limiting subsection (1), “preventative action”, in the case of a direction given to a person carrying on or who may carry on any occupation, trade or business, includes requiring the person to do any one or more of the following:
(a)to stop carrying on, or not carry on, the occupation, trade or business during a period of time specified in the direction;
(b)take specified steps within a period of time specified in the direction, to ensure that the occupation, trade or business is conducted in compliance with conditions specified in the direction;
(c)until the action in paragraphs (a) and (b) are complied with, to ensure —
(i)the premises at which the occupation, trade or business is or may be conducted is, for the period of time that is specified in the direction, not used for any activity;
(ii)any vehicle, plant, article, machinery or equipment on those premises is, for the period of time that is specified in the direction, not used, moved, sold or otherwise handled; or
(iii)any vehicle, plant, article, machinery or equipment on those premises and specified in the direction is, for the period of time that is specified in the direction, not removed from those premises, for any purpose or in any circumstances specified in the direction.
(3)  If a person refuses or fails to comply with any requirement of a direction given to that person under subsection (1), the Director may —
(a)take any steps reasonably necessary to ensure control of the premises at which an occupation, trade or business is or may be conducted or any vehicle, plant, article, machinery or equipment on those premises, including entry to a place or vehicle without warrant and with the use of necessary force; and
(b)carry out the requirement, and recover the costs and expenses reasonably incurred in carrying out the requirement as a debt due from that person.
(4)  A person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with any requirement of a direction given to that person under subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence.
(5)  A person given a direction under subsection (1) may, within 7 days after the direction is given, appeal against the direction to the appropriate Minister, whose decision is final.
(6)  A direction under subsection (1) takes effect despite any appeal under subsection (5), unless the appropriate Minister otherwise directs.”.
Amendment of section 21A
9.  Section 21A of the principal Act is amended —
(a)by deleting the words “Fifth Schedule” in subsections (1), (2), (3) and (6) and substituting in each case the words “Second Schedule”;
(b)by deleting subsection (5) and substituting the following subsection:
(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.”; and
(c)by deleting the words “subsection (5)” in subsection (6) and substituting the words “subsection (5)(a)”.
New section 21B
10.  The principal Act is amended by inserting, immediately after section 21A, the following section:
Order to disseminate health advisory
21B.—(1)  The appropriate Minister may, for the purpose of preventing the spread or possible outbreak of any infectious disease in Singapore, or the spread of any infectious disease into Singapore or from Singapore to outside Singapore, by written order, direct any relevant operator —
(a)to disseminate any health advisory, in such form and manner as the Director may require, to any relevant person specified in the order;
(b)to provide any information, in the possession or control of the relevant operator, to the Director to facilitate the Director or any other person in the dissemination of a health advisory to a relevant person; or
(c)to provide any information, in the possession or control of the relevant operator, to another relevant operator who is required to disseminate a health advisory under paragraph (a), to facilitate in the dissemination of the health advisory.
(2)  The Director may disclose any information obtained from a relevant operator under subsection (1)(b) to another relevant operator who is required to disseminate a health advisory under subsection (1)(a), to facilitate in the dissemination of the health advisory.
(3)  The Director may impose conditions as to the use of any information provided or disclosed to any relevant operator under subsection (1)(c) or (2).
(4)  Any relevant operator who, without reasonable excuse, refuses or fails to comply with —
(a)an order under subsection (1); or
(b)a condition under subsection (3),
shall be guilty of an offence.
(5)  This section does not affect any other right of disclosure a relevant operator may have under any written law or rule of law.”.
Deletion and substitution of heading to Part V
11.  Part V of the principal Act is amended by deleting the Part heading and substituting the following Part heading:
PREVENTION OF INTERNATIONAL SPREAD OF
INFECTIOUS DISEASES”.
Repeal of section 30
12.  Section 30 of the principal Act is repealed.
Amendment of section 31
13.  Section 31(3) of the principal Act is amended by deleting the words “who refuses or fails to comply with subsection (2)” and substituting the words “who arrives in Singapore in contravention of subsection (1)”.
Amendment of section 45
14.  Section 45(1) of the principal Act is amended by deleting the word “medical” in paragraph (a).
New sections 45A and 45B
15.  The principal Act is amended by inserting, immediately after section 45, the following sections:
Medical examination of persons arriving in Singapore
45A.—(1)  The Director may, for the purpose of preventing the spread or possible outbreak of any infectious disease in Singapore, by written order, require all or any persons arriving in Singapore to undergo any medical examination specified in the order.
(2)  Any person given an order under subsection (1) who, without reasonable excuse, refuses or fails to comply with the order shall be guilty of an offence.
Medical examination of persons leaving Singapore during public health emergency
45B.—(1)  During a public health emergency relating to an outbreak of an infectious disease declared under section 17A(1), the appropriate Minister may, for the purpose of preventing the spread of that infectious disease out of Singapore, by written order, require all or any persons leaving Singapore to undergo any medical examination specified in the order.
(2)  Any person given an order under subsection (1) who, without reasonable excuse, refuses or fails to comply with the order shall be guilty of an offence.
(3)  Notice of the appropriate Minister’s written order must be published in the Gazette for general information.”.
Amendment of section 47
16.  Section 47 of the principal Act is amended —
(a)by inserting, immediately after the words “an outbreak” in subsection (1), the words “or a suspected outbreak”; and
(b)by deleting the word “Minister” wherever it appears in subsections (1), (2) and (4) and substituting in each case the word “Director”.
Amendment of section 55
17.  Section 55(1) of the principal Act is amended —
(a)by deleting the words “a possible outbreak or the spread” and substituting the words “the spread or possible outbreak”;
(b)by deleting the words “and may” in paragraph (e) and substituting the words “within such time and in such form or manner as the Director or Health Officer may specify and may”; and
(c)by inserting, immediately after the word “spread” in paragraph (h)(ii), the words “or possible outbreak”.
Amendment of section 55A
18.  Section 55A(1) of the principal Act is amended —
(a)by deleting the word “and” at the end of paragraph (a); and
(b)by deleting paragraph (b) and substituting the following paragraphs:
(b)at any time without warrant and with such force as may be necessary, stop, board, enter, inspect and search any premises or conveyance;
(c)take samples of or seize any substance or matter found in any premises or conveyance mentioned in paragraph (b); and
(d)seize any book, document or record produced under paragraph (a) or found in any premises or conveyance mentioned in paragraph (b).”.
New section 55B
19.  The principal Act is amended by inserting, immediately after section 55A, the following section:
Disposal of document, substance or matter
55B.—(1)  Any book, document, record, sample, substance or matter (called in this section the document, substance or matter) produced, taken or seized under this Act must —
(a)where the document, substance or matter is produced in any criminal trial, be dealt with in accordance with section 364(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cap. 68);
(b)where the owner of the document, substance or matter consents to its disposal, be deemed to be forfeited; or
(c)in any other case, be returned to the owner or reported to a Magistrate’s Court.
(2)  Where a document, substance or matter is reported to a Magistrate’s Court under subsection (1)(c), the Magistrate’s Court may order the document, substance or matter —
(a)to be forfeited; or
(b)to be disposed of in such manner as the Magistrate’s Court thinks fit.
(3)  Subject to any order to the contrary by the Magistrate’s Court, if the document, substance or matter is forfeited or deemed to be forfeited under this section, the document, substance or matter must be delivered to the Director and must be disposed of in such manner as the Director thinks fit.
(4)  This section does not affect any right to retain or dispose of property which may exist in law apart from this section.”.
Amendment of section 56
20.  Section 56 of the principal Act is amended —
(a)by deleting the word “or” at the end of subsection (3)(a);
(b)by deleting the full‑stop at the end of paragraph (b) of subsection (3) and substituting the word “; or”, and by inserting immediately thereafter the following paragraph:
(c)being required to comply with any requirement mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b), attempts to leave Singapore without the approval of the Director.”;
(c)by inserting, immediately after subsection (3), the following subsection:
(3A)  Any person who, being required to comply with any requirement mentioned in subsection (3)(a) or (b), attempts to leave Singapore without the approval of the Director shall be guilty of an offence.”; and
(d)by deleting the words “Where a person who has failed to comply with any of the requirements referred to in subsection (3)(a) or (b) is unable to do so by reason of his age or any infirmity of body or mind, the police officer or Health Officer may, instead of arresting that person” in subsection (7) and substituting the words “A police officer or Health Officer may, instead of arresting a person mentioned in subsection (3)”.
Amendment of section 57A
21.  Section 57A of the principal Act is amended —
(a)by deleting paragraph (a) of subsection (1) and substituting the following paragraph:
(a)to any person if the disclosure is necessary for the person to take measures to prevent the spread or possible outbreak of the infectious disease; or”;
(b)by deleting the words “subsection (1)(a)(i)” in subsection (2) and substituting the words “subsection (1)(a)”;
(c)by deleting subsection (3);
(d)by deleting the words “or (3)” in subsection (5)(a); and
(e)by inserting, immediately after the word “information” in the section heading, the words “by Director”.
New section 57B
22.  The principal Act is amended by inserting, immediately after section 57A, the following section:
Disclosure of information to prevent spread or possible outbreak of infectious disease, etc., as authorised by Director
57B.—(1)  The Director may, by written notice, authorise a healthcare provider to disclose to a specified recipient information, which identifies any person as —
(a)a case or carrier or contact of an infectious disease (called in this section the affected person); or
(b)being suspected to be an affected person,
to enable the specified recipient to take the necessary measures to prevent the spread or possible outbreak of the infectious disease.
(2)  The Director may, in authorising the disclosure of any information under subsection (1) by a healthcare provider, impose such conditions on the healthcare provider or the specified recipient of that information, and the healthcare provider or specified recipient (as the case may be) must comply with such conditions.
(3)  A specified recipient of information provided under subsection (1) may disclose that information to another person providing a prescribed healthcare service to an affected person on behalf of the specified recipient, or use that information, only to the extent necessary to take the necessary measures to prevent the spread or possible outbreak of that infectious disease, but not otherwise.
(4)  Any person who, without reasonable excuse —
(a)fails to comply with any condition imposed under subsection (2); or
(b)contravenes subsection (3),
shall be guilty of an offence.
(5)  This section does not affect any other right of disclosure under any written law or rule of law.
(6)  In this section —
“healthcare provider” means any person that provides a prescribed healthcare service;
“prescribed healthcare service” means any healthcare service prescribed for the purposes of this section;
“specified recipient” means any person that provides a prescribed healthcare service to an affected person.”.
Amendment of section 59A
23.  Section 59A of the principal Act is amended —
(a)by deleting the words “such public health research as he thinks” in subsection (1) and substituting the words “any research that the Director thinks is”;
(b)by deleting the word “Minister” wherever it appears in subsection (1)(b) and substituting in each case the words “appropriate Minister”;
(c)by deleting the words “public health research under subsection (1), the Director shall consider —” in subsection (2) and substituting the words “research under subsection (1), the Director must consider the extent to which all or any of the following factors exist:”;
(d)by deleting the word “and” at the end of subsection (2)(b);
(e)by deleting the words “research under subsection (1)” in subsection (3) and substituting the words “national public health research”;
(f)by deleting the word “and” at the end of subsection (3)(a)(ii);
(g)by deleting the full‑stop at the end of paragraph (b) of subsection (3) and substituting the word “; and”, and by inserting immediately thereafter the following paragraph:
(c)use any other information or samples obtained by the Director under this Act.”;
(h)by inserting, immediately after the words “to the Director” in subsection (4), the words “, unless the Director directs otherwise”;
(i)by deleting subsection (5) and substituting the following subsections:
(5)  For the purpose of any national public health research, the Director may do all or any of the following:
(a)send any information or sample received by the Director under this Act to a third party to carry out such test, examination or analysis as the Director may consider necessary;
(b)provide any information or sample received by the Director under this Act to a third party who is engaged in any national public health research;
(c)impose such conditions as the Director thinks fit on the third party mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b).
(5A)  If the Director is satisfied that any national public health research can be carried out only if any individually‑identifiable information or individually‑identifiable human sample is provided under this section, the Director may require, use, send or provide that individually‑identifiable information or individually‑identifiable human sample under this section for the purposes of the national public health research.”; and
(j)by inserting, immediately after the definition of “human sample” in subsection (7), the following definition:
“ “national public health research” means any research that the Director decides to undertake or facilitate under subsection (1);”.
Repeal and re-enactment of section 67
24.  Section 67 of the principal Act is repealed and the following section substituted therefor:
Protection from personal liability
67.  No liability shall lie personally against the Director, the Director‑General, any Health Officer, any Port Health Officer, any police officer or any authorised person mentioned in section 17A(7) who, acting in good faith and with reasonable care, does or omits to do anything in the execution or purported execution of this Act.”.
New sections 67A, 67B and 67C
25.  The principal Act is amended by inserting, immediately after section 67, the following sections:
Immunity from liability for disclosure
67A.  No person commits an offence under any written law or any breach of confidence, incurs any civil liability or is liable to any disciplinary action by a professional body, by virtue merely of disclosing any information or providing any thing, in good faith and with reasonable care —
(a)in accordance with any requirement under this Act; or
(b)as authorised by the Director under section 57B.
Offences by corporations
67B.—(1)  Where, in a proceeding for an offence under this Act, it is necessary to prove the state of mind of a corporation in relation to a particular conduct, evidence that —
(a)an officer, employee or agent of the corporation engaged in that conduct within the scope of his actual or apparent authority; and
(b)the officer, employee or agent had that state of mind,
is evidence that the corporation had that state of mind.
(2)  Where a corporation commits an offence under this Act, a person —
(a)who is —
(i)an officer of the corporation, or a member of a corporation (in the case where the affairs of the corporation are managed by its members); or
(ii)an individual involved in the management of the corporation and in a position to influence the conduct of the corporation in relation to the commission of the offence; and
(b)who —
(i)consented or connived, or conspired with others, to effect the commission of the offence;
(ii)is in any other way, whether by act or omission, knowingly concerned in, or is party to, the commission of the offence by the corporation; or
(iii)knew or ought reasonably to have known that the offence by the corporation (or an offence of the same type) would be or is being committed, and failed to take all reasonable steps to prevent or stop the commission of that offence,
shall be guilty of that same offence as is the corporation, and shall be liable on conviction to be punished accordingly.
(3)  A person mentioned in subsection (2) may rely on a defence that would be available to the corporation if it were charged with the offence with which the person is charged and, in doing so, the person bears the same burden of proof that the corporation would bear.
(4)  To avoid doubt, this section does not affect the application of —
(a)Chapters V and VA of the Penal Code (Cap. 224); or
(b)the Evidence Act (Cap. 97) or any other law or practice regarding the admissibility of evidence.
(5)  To avoid doubt, subsection (2) also does not affect the liability of the corporation for an offence under this Act, and applies whether or not the corporation is convicted of the offence.
(6)  In this section —
“corporation” includes a limited liability partnership within the meaning of section 2(1) of the Limited Liability Partnerships Act (Cap. 163A);
“officer”, in relation to a corporation, means any director, partner, chief executive, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the corporation, and includes any person purporting to act in any such capacity;
“state of mind” of a person includes —
(a)the knowledge, intention, opinion, belief or purpose of the person; and
(b)the person’s reasons for the intention, opinion, belief or purpose.
Offences by unincorporated associations or partnerships
67C.—(1)  Where, in a proceeding for an offence under this Act, it is necessary to prove the state of mind of an unincorporated association or a partnership in relation to a particular conduct, evidence that —
(a)an employee or agent of the unincorporated association or the partnership engaged in that conduct within the scope of his actual or apparent authority; and
(b)the employee or agent had that state of mind,
is evidence that the unincorporated association or partnership had that state of mind.
(2)  Where an unincorporated association or a partnership commits an offence under this Act, a person —
(a)who is —
(i)an officer of the unincorporated association or a member of its governing body;
(ii)a partner in the partnership; or
(iii)an individual involved in the management of the unincorporated association or partnership and in a position to influence the conduct of the unincorporated association or partnership (as the case may be) in relation to the commission of the offence; and
(b)who —
(i)consented or connived, or conspired with others, to effect the commission of the offence;
(ii)is in any other way, whether by act or omission, knowingly concerned in, or is party to, the commission of the offence by the unincorporated association or partnership; or
(iii)knew or ought reasonably to have known that the offence by the unincorporated association or partnership (or an offence of the same type) would be or is being committed, and failed to take all reasonable steps to prevent or stop the commission of that offence,
shall be guilty of the same offence as is that unincorporated association or partnership, and shall be liable on conviction to be punished accordingly.
(3)  A person mentioned in subsection (2) may rely on a defence that would be available to the unincorporated association or partnership if it were charged with the offence with which the person is charged and, in doing so, the person bears the same burden of proof that the unincorporated association or partnership would bear.
(4)  To avoid doubt, this section does not affect the application of —
(a)Chapters V and VA of the Penal Code; or
(b)the Evidence Act or any other law or practice regarding the admissibility of evidence.
(5)  To avoid doubt, subsection (2) also does not affect the liability of an unincorporated association or a partnership for an offence under this Act, and applies whether or not the unincorporated association or partnership is convicted of the offence.
(6)  In this section —
“officer”, in relation to an unincorporated association (other than a partnership), means the president, the secretary, or any member of the committee of the unincorporated association, and includes —
(a)any person holding a position analogous to that of president, secretary or member of a committee of the unincorporated association; and
(b)any person purporting to act in any such capacity;
“partner” includes a person purporting to act as a partner;
“state of mind” of a person includes —
(a)the knowledge, intention, opinion, belief or purpose of the person; and
(b)the person’s reasons for the intention, opinion, belief or purpose.”.
Repeal and re-enactment of section 68
26.  Section 68 of the principal Act is repealed and the following section substituted therefor:
Composition of offences
68.—(1)  The Director may compound any offence under this Act that is not mentioned in subsection (2) but is prescribed as a compoundable offence by the appropriate Minister under section 73, by collecting from a person reasonably suspected of having committed the offence a sum described in subsection (3).
(2)  The Director‑General may compound any offence under sections 28, 29 and 33 to 45 and that is prescribed as a compoundable offence by the appropriate Minister under section 73, by collecting from a person reasonably suspected of having committed the offence a sum described in subsection (3).
(3)  The composition sum for the purposes of compounding a compoundable offence under subsection (1) or (2) is a sum not exceeding the lower of the following:
(a)one half of the amount of the maximum fine that is prescribed for the offence;
(b)$5,000.
(4)  On payment of such sum of money, no further proceedings are to be taken against that person in respect of the offence.
(5)  All sums collected under this section must be paid into the Consolidated Fund.”.
Amendment of section 73
27.  Section 73 of the principal Act is amended by inserting, immediately after subsection (3), the following subsection:
(4)  The appropriate Minister may, in making regulations, specify —
(a)different prescribed times and prescribed infectious diseases in relation to different classes of persons who are required to notify the Director under section 6; and
(b)for the purposes of section 21B —
(i)the relevant operators;
(ii)the classes of relevant persons to whom a relevant operator may be required to disseminate any health advisory; and
(iii)the types of information that may be obtained from different classes of relevant operators.”.
Repeal and re-enactment of Second Schedule
28.  The Second Schedule to the principal Act is repealed and the following Schedule substituted therefor:
SECOND SCHEDULE
Sections 2 and 21A
Dangerous infectious diseases
1.Ebola.
2.Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infection (MERS‑CoV).
3.Plague.
4.Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
5.Yellow fever.”.
Repeal of Fifth and Sixth Schedules
29.  The Fifth and Sixth Schedules to the principal Act are repealed.
Miscellaneous amendments
30.  The principal Act is amended —
(a)by deleting the words “the Minister” in section 5 and substituting the words “the appropriate Minister”;
(b)by deleting the word “Minister” in the following sections and substituting in each case the words “appropriate Minister”:
(i)section 7(1)(b);
(ii)section 10(1)(b);
(iii)section 17A(1), (2), (3), (4) and (5);
(iv)section 18(6) and (7);
(v)section 19(7) and (8);
(vi)section 20(4) and (5);
(vii)section 25(1)(k);
(viii)section 26(1) and (2);
(ix)section 52(1) and (2);
(x)section 54;
(xi)section 58(1);
(c)by inserting, immediately after the word “spread” in sections 9(b), 10(1) and 73(2)(h), the words “or possible outbreak”;
(d)by deleting the words “notice in writing” in the following provisions and substituting in each case the words “written notice”:
(i)section 12(1);
(ii)section 18(1);
(iii)section 19(1) and (2);
(iv)section 20(1A);
(v)section 55(1)(f) and (2)(a);
(e)by deleting the words “AIDS AND” in the heading of Part IV;
(f)by deleting the words “AIDS or” wherever they appear in the following provisions:
(i)section 22(1);
(ii)section 23(1), (2) and (5);
(iii)section 24(1) and (1A);
(iv)section 25(1);
(v)section 25A(1), (3), (7) and (10);
(vi)the section headings of sections 22, 23 and 24; and
(g)by deleting the word “AIDS,” in the section heading of section 25.
Saving and transitional provision
31.  For a period of 2 years after the date of commencement of any provision of this Act, the Minister charged with the responsibility for regulation of diseases and disease control may, by regulations, prescribe such provisions of a saving or transitional nature consequent on the enactment of that provision as the Minister may consider necessary or expedient.