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Ref.60681/2014-NH-30.0-3.12.2014
In Prague on Dec 23rd, 2014Ref.:60681/2014-NH-30.0-23.12.2014
PROTECTIVE MEASURES
The Ministry of Healthas the competent administrative authority according to §80para.1,h) of Act no. 258/2000 Coll., on protecting publichealth and amending certainrelated acts, as amended(hereinafter "Act no. 258/2000 Coll."), prescribes, in accordance with §68 para. 1and3 of Actno. 258/2000Sb. protectionagainst introducingthe highly contagiousinfectious diseaseEbola hemorrhagic feverfrom abroad,throughVáclav HavelAirport Prague,usingthe followingprotective measures:
I.
1. Peoplearriving in theCzechRepublicviaVáclav HavelAirport Prague fromtheRepublic of Guinea, the Republic of Liberia, and the Republic of SierraLeone,orother countrieswhoduringthe previous 42 daysbefore arrivingin the Czech Republichave stayedfor any timeon the territories ofthe Republic of Guinea, the Republic of Liberiaandthe Republic ofSierra Leone, mustproceedto a designatedspaceimmediatelyafter landingatVáclav HavelAirport in Prague, whereanemployeeof the public health authorities, anauthorized employeeof ahealthinstitute or theNational Institute of Health,carries outepidemiologicalinvestigationsto preventEbola being introducedinto the Czech Republic.
2.Prague Airport, Inc., basedin Kletišti1019/6, Prague6, must allocate a spacebetweenTerminal 1 and Terminal2 forthe service of an employee ofthe public health authorities,anauthorized employeeof ahealth instituteand theNational Institute of Health,includingthe possibility of isolating apersonshowingsigns of the disease.
II.
1. The existingprotective measuresordered bythe Ministry of Healthunder Ref.52128/2014-NH-30.0-14.10.2014, datedOct. 20th,2014are hereby cancelled as ofJanuary1st, 2015,from 8:00 am.
2. The protectivemeasuresstated here become effective onJanuary1st, 2014,from08:00 am.
Justification:
Ebolahemorrhagic feveris a highly contagiousinfectiousdisease withan incubation period of21 days. The outbreakof thishighly contagiousinfectious diseasehas occured mainlyin the West African countriesof Guinea, Liberia,andSierraLeone. Spreading infectious humandiseasesis considered a crime in accordance with§152 and153of the Criminal Codein conjunction with Appendixno.1 of Government Regulationno.453/2009Coll., which,for thepurposes of the CriminalCode,defineswhat are consideredinfectious humandiseases, contagiousanimal diseases,infectiousplant diseasesandcrop infestants. This diseaseis also classified as aserious diseasebythe Acton the Residence of Foreigners (Actno. 326/1999Coll.)and§ 2. a)and d)of Decreeno.274/2004Coll., specifying thelist of diseases thatcould endanger publichealth, andthe list of diseasesthat couldseriouslythreaten public order.
According to§ 2 para. 6.a)of Act no.258/2000Coll., ahealthy personwho has residedinthe infected area orhas beenin contactwith the infectious disease during the incubation period,is consideredsuspected of being infected. The main place through which Ebola couldbeintroduced into theCzechRepublicfromabroadisthe internationalairport, designedand equipped to handlebothdomesticandinternal flights, as well asflightsduring which external borders are crossed. According to directivesissuedto protectagainst highly contagiousinfectiousdiseases being introducedVáclav Havel Airport Pragueis a primarytransit point. Therefore, a spacewas set up foremployeesof the public health authoritiesandemployeesof health institutesandthe National Institute of Health, established bymedical facilitiesto provide services to protect public health. The aimof this serviceis to conductepidemiologicalinvestigationsto preventEbolahaemorrhagicfeverspreadinginto the CzechRepublic.
Passengerstravelling from abroad throughVáclav HavelAirport in Praguewhoin the previous 42 days from the dateof arrivingin the Czech Republicresided for any periodof time on the territories of the Republic of Guinea,the Republic of Liberiaor the Republic ofSierra Leone,must attend an epidemiologicalinvestigationinthedesignatedspaceset upat the airport immediatelyafter landing, whereanemployeeof the public health authorities, anauthorized employeeof ahealthinstitute orthe National Institute of Health provides this service.
The reason forthis measure is toprevent Ebolainfectionbeingintroduced and spread in the Czech Republicand conductingan epidemiologicalinvestigationof persons whoresided inthe infected area orcould have come into contactwiththisinfectious disease,as well as adoptingany necessaryanti-epidemic measuresfor these individuals, especiallymonitoringtheir healthand possible order of medicalsupervision(see § 2 para. 6 of the Acton the Protection ofPublic Health) are essential conditions.
A person whoresidedon the territories ofthe West African countries listed abovewhofailsto comply with the orderedprotectivemeasuresmay endanger public health, becauseif he/shecameintocontact with the infection(whichmay onlybecome apparent during their stayin the Czech Republic), andcannot befound quicklythroughdata obtained duringthe epidemiological investigation or the appropriateanti-epidemicmeasures cannot be taken, the diseasemay furtherspreadacrossthe Czech Republicandthereforecausean epidemicoutbreak.
At the same time,Prague Airport, Inc. must allocate premisesfor employeesof the public health authoritiesandemployeesof the health instituteand theNational Institute of Health, including the possibility of isolation.
The existingprotective measures, issuedunder ref. 52128/2014-NH-30.0-14.10.2014, ofOct. 20th,2014,will be cancelled. The dutyof persons travellingfrom abroadtosetinternationalairportsto fill-inan arrivalscard onboard the aircraft andhanditin on arrival at theairport is also cancelled. TheMinistry of Health opted tocancel this because of theresults of the investigationof the WorldHealth Organization, theECDC(EuropeanCentrefor DiseasePreventionandControl)andDGSanco(European Commission’sDirectorate GeneralforHealthandConsumers) in infectedcountries ofWest Africa inNovember of this year, which evaluated thescreeningprocess from these countriesaseffective.
Protective measuresRef.60681/2014-NH-30.0-3.12.2014, whichhave replacedthe existing protectivemeasuresand will take effect from January 1st, 2015, 8:00 am, given the continuingoutbreaksof Ebolahemorrhagic fever, maintain the obligationfor passengers whoduring theprevious 42 daysfrom the dateof arrivingin the Czech Republicresided for any periodof timeonthe territories of theRepublic of Guinea, the Republic of Liberia,andthe Republic ofSierra Leone, to undergoan epidemiological investigationina designated area immediatelyon arriving at Václav HavelAirport in Prague, where anemployeeof the public health authorities, anauthorized employeeof ahealthinstitute or theNational Institute of Health,carries out this service.
According to §68 para. 1,the last sentenceof Actno. 258/2000 Coll., administrative rules are not applicable to issuingprotectivemeasuresagainst the introductionof infectious diseases from abroad.Protective measuresand decisions about terminating thempursuant to §68 para. 3of the citedActare published on theofficial board ofthe Ministry of Healthandregional health authoritiesandthe relevantborder crossing,i.e. VáclavHavelAirportin Prague.
MD. VladimírValenta, Ph.D.
Chief Hygienistof the Czech RepublicandDeputy Minister
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Czech Ministry of Health
Palackého nám. 4, 128 01 Prague 2
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