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108-521: The Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity ( IGAB ) created a framework for governments to coordinate and identify priority areas of reform and action to build a stronger and more effective national biosecurity system, and established the National Biosecurity Committee ( NBC ) in 2012. The term "biosecurity" was initially used in a narrower sense, to describe preventative and quarantine procedures put in place to minimise

216-427: A Border Services Officer . If the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the traveller is or might have been infected with a communicable disease or refused to provide answers, a quarantine officer (QO) must be called and the person is to be isolated. If a person refuses to be isolated, any peace officer may arrest without warrant. A QO who has reasonable grounds to believe that the traveller has or might have

324-749: A decontamination shower. For example, an article entitled "Daily News workers quarantined" describes a brief quarantine that lasted until people could be showered in a decontamination tent. The February–March 2003 issue of HazMat Magazine suggests that people be "locked in a room until proper decon could be performed", in the event of "suspect anthrax". Standard-Times senior correspondent Steve Urbon (14 February 2003) describes such temporary quarantine powers: Civil rights activists in some cases have objected to people being rounded up, stripped and showered against their will. But Capt. Chmiel said local health authorities have "certain powers to quarantine people". The purpose of such quarantine-for-decontamination

432-625: A typhoid fever carrier who was arrested and quarantined in 1907 and later spent the last 23 years and 7 months of her life in medical isolation at Riverside Hospital on North Brother Island . Guidance on when and how human rights can be restricted to prevent the spread of infectious disease is found in the Siracusa Principles , a non-binding document developed by the Siracusa International Institute for Criminal Justice and Human Rights and adopted by

540-680: A "Rapid Review" published in The Lancet in response to the COVID-19 pandemic , "Stressors included longer quarantine duration, infection fears, frustration, boredom, inadequate supplies, inadequate information, financial loss, and stigma. Some researchers have suggested long-lasting effects. In situations where quarantine is deemed necessary, officials should quarantine individuals for no longer than required, provide clear rationale for quarantine and information about protocols, and ensure sufficient supplies are provided. Appeals to altruism by reminding

648-854: A communicable disease or is infested with vectors, after the medical examination of a traveller, can order him/her into treatment or measures to prevent the person from spreading the disease. QO can detain any traveller who refuses to comply with his/her orders or undergo health assessments as required by law. Under the Health of Animals Act and Plant Protection Act , inspectors can prohibit access to an infected area, dispose or treat any infected or suspected to be infected animals or plants. The Minister can order for compensation to be given if animals/plants were destroyed pursuant to these acts. Each province also enacts its own quarantine/environmental health legislation. Department of Health (Australia) The Department of Health and Aged Care ( DHAC ), formerly

756-454: A community, in order to prevent an infection from spreading. An early mention of isolation occurs in the Biblical book of Leviticus , written in the 7th century BC or perhaps earlier, which describes the procedure for separating out people infected with the skin disease Tzaraath . The medical nature of this isolation is, however, disputed. As traditional exegesis (dated 700 CE) sees it as

864-726: A complete rewrite in 2005. The second and third legislations are enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency . If a health emergency exists, the Governor in Council can prohibit importation of anything that it deems necessary under the Quarantine Act . Under the Quarantine Act , all travellers must submit to screening and if they believe they might have come into contact with communicable diseases or vectors , they must disclose their whereabouts to

972-455: A doctor and a disinfecting stove, have a right to navigate the Canal in quarantine and subject only to the landing of those who have plague. In the 20th and 21st centuries, people suspected of carrying infectious diseases have been quarantined, as in the cases of Andrew Speaker (multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis, 2007) and Kaci Hickox (Ebola, 2014). During the 1957–58 influenza pandemic and

1080-610: A facility under lockdown. Biosecurity in Australia is governed by the Biosecurity Act 2015 . The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) is responsible for border inspection of products brought into Australia, and assesses the risks the products might harm Australian environment. No person, goods, and vessels are permitted into Australia without clearance from DAFF. Visitors are required to fill in

1188-411: A geographic quarantine measure to control the movement of people into and out of affected communities. During the 1918 influenza pandemic, some communities instituted protective sequestration (sometimes referred to as "reverse quarantine") to keep the infected from introducing influenza into healthy populations. Additionally, the nature of the influenza virus that caused the 1918 pandemic gave rise to

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1296-641: A huge length of border (the coastline) , with the sixth longest coastline in the world, at 25,780 kilometres (16,020 mi). In 2015, the Biosecurity Act 2015 (Commonwealth) replaced the Quarantine Act 1908 , which was wholly repealed on 16 June 2016 by the Biosecurity (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2015 . The new Act was a major reform of the Quarantine Act , in particular in its strengthening and modernising

1404-635: A human biosecurity emergency was declared in Australia owing to the risks to human health posed by the COVID-19 pandemic , after the National Security Committee met the previous day. The Biosecurity Act 2015 specifies that the Governor-General may declare such an emergency exists if the Health Minister (at the time Greg Hunt ) is satisfied that "a listed human disease is posing a severe and immediate threat, or

1512-536: A mixture of biosecurity strategies and policies that have been tailor-made for each jurisdiction, taxon and/or agency, and that an agreed national approach for prioritising exotic pest and disease risks is desirable, to guide governments' investments. In the area of research, it concluded that the system "no longer [had] the required structure, focus or capacity to address existing and emerging national biosecurity challenges" with "many players but no captain". It recommended several steps for improved governance, including that

1620-536: A plague outbreak to remain in place, and advised healthy individuals to avoid traveling there. The Persian Muslim polymath Avicenna argued for controlling "the spread of diseases" in his medical encyclopedia The Canon [Al-Qanun] of Medicine, published in 1025. He also recommended quarantine for patients with infectious diseases, especially tuberculosis . Since the sixteenth century, the Ottoman Empire has isolated travellers coming from epidemic areas during

1728-415: A process involving a defined set of measures and management strategies, designed not only to stop undesirable organisms from getting into the country, but also to quickly discover and eradicate them, or, if eradication proves impossible, to reduce their impact as much as possible. Australia is to some degree protected from exotic pests and diseases by its geographic isolation, but with its island form comes

1836-485: A public awareness of the dichotomy between "crowd" and "home" diseases. Simply quarantining the sick in isolation was ineffective in halting the spread of the disease, and new quarantine standards that extended regulations to public spaces became increasingly more common. Most Western countries implemented a range of containment strategies, including isolation, surveillance, and the closure of schools, churches, theatres, and public events. People were prevented from entering

1944-518: A punishment for trespassing one of several negative commandment, most notably Evil Speech . A more recent hypothesis postulates that the infected are required to isolate themselves in order to prevent spread of disease (although the Bible does not imply contagiousness of Tzaraath ): Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, "Unclean! Unclean!" As long as they have

2052-408: A section titled "Market Access is key", said that Australia's world class biosecurity system is a trade and economic asset, but that there was scope for improvement. The report named a number of challenges and topics needing future focus, such as environmental biosecurity (which includes both natural ecosystems and social amenities), which has been viewed as subordinate to agricultural biosecurity in

2160-407: Is also used as a verb. Quarantine is distinct from medical isolation , in which those confirmed to be infected with a communicable disease are isolated from the healthy population. Quarantine may be used interchangeably with cordon sanitaire , and although the terms are related, cordon sanitaire refers to the restriction of movement of people into or out of a defined geographic area, such as

2268-540: Is causing harm, to human health on a nationally significant scale". This gives the Minister sweeping powers, including imposing restrictions or preventing the movement of people and goods between specified places, and evacuations . The Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) Declaration 2020 was declared by the Governor-General, David Hurley , under Section 475 of

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2376-626: Is especially important because of its proximity to South-East Asia and the Pacific, which have many pests and diseases not present in Australia. For this reason, the region from Cairns to Broome—including the Torres Strait —is the focus for quarantine activities that protect all Australians. As Australia has been geographically isolated from other major continents for millions of years, there is an endemically unique ecosystem free of several severe pests and diseases that are present in many parts of

2484-593: Is governed by the single overarching Biosecurity Act 2015 . The word quarantine comes from quarantena or quarantaine , meaning "forty days", used in the Venetian language in the 14th and 15th centuries and also in France. The word is designated in the period during which all ships were required to be isolated before passengers and crew could go ashore during the Black Death plague. The quarantena followed

2592-554: Is in the process of developing a new Act. The Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate of the Australian Capital Territory is responsible for biosecurity. As of May 2020, two Acts provide the mechanisms "to protect the health and welfare of people and animals and to protect markets relating to animals and plants and associated products": the Animal Diseases Act 2005 and

2700-489: Is to prevent the spread of contamination and to contain the contamination such that others are not put at risk from a person fleeing a scene where contamination is suspect. It can also be used to limit exposure, as well as eliminate a vector . New developments for quarantine include new concepts in quarantine vehicles such as the ambulance bus , mobile hospitals, and lockdown/invacuation (inverse evacuation) procedures, as well as docking stations for an ambulance bus to dock to

2808-729: The 1968 flu pandemic , several countries implemented measures to control spread of the disease. In addition, the World Health Organization applied a global influenza surveillance network. During the 1994 plague in India , many people were quarantined. Vessels and aircraft carrying passengers were fumigated. In the SARS epidemic , thousands of Chinese people were quarantined and checkpoints to take temperatures were set up. Moving infected patients to isolation wards and home-based self-quarantine of people potentially exposed

2916-807: The Ashanti Empire at border checkpoints if they exhibited symptoms of smallpox. Those who discovered symptoms of the disease after entering Ashanti were quarantined in remote villages. In the 1830s, both the Ottoman Empire and Egypt established new quarantine systems. In 1831, Mehmet Ali of Egypt founded the Quarantine Board in Alexandria. In 1838, the Ottoman government installed the Supreme Council of Health, including

3024-498: The Biosecurity Act , with penalties for breaches including up to five years' jail, a fine of A$ 66,600 , or both. On 7 May 2021 Morrison announced that the flight ban would end on 15 May and that repatriation flights to the Northern Territory would start on this date. Animal biosecurity involves protecting livestock, wildlife , humans and the environment from new diseases or pests. Australia has remained free of many of

3132-639: The Biosecurity Act 2015 to announce a state of emergency , and brought in various measures to restrict the movement of people in and out of Australia. On 30 April 2021, following a dramatic rise in cases in a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic , the Federal Government announced a ban on Australian citizens and permanent residents in India from entering Australia via any route, between 3 May and 15 May. Those caught returning from India to Australia via any route would be subject to punishment under

3240-525: The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources in September 2015, and then the Department of Agriculture (Australia, 2019–20) , each of which was responsible for biosecurity. As of March 2020, National biosecurity in Australia is governed and administered by two federal departments, the Department of Health and the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment . They administer and enforce

3348-765: The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment ( Andrew Metcalfe AO as of May 2020) chairs the NBC and up to two senior officials from the federal, state and territory primary industry and/or environment agencies and jurisdictions. It provides advice on national biosecurity matters, and provides updates on progress towards implementing the recommendations of the 2017 Review to the Agriculture Senior Officials Committee. State and Territory Governments have authority for biosecurity within their jurisdiction and administer specific biosecurity legislation to manage pests and diseases, including

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3456-586: The Department of Health , is a department of the Australian Government responsible for health research, funding, promotion and regulation in Australia. Primary health care and aged care services are overseen by DHAC, while tertiary health services are administered by state and territory governments . The department is responsible for programs such as Medicare , the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme , and agencies such as

3564-593: The Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs joined with the Department of Health, Housing and Community Services to form the Department of Health, Housing, Local Government and Community Services . Subsequently, in December 1993, the department was abolished and replaced with the Department of Human Services and Health . Also in 1994, the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

3672-574: The Hubei province (population 55.5 million) – in the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic . After a few weeks, the Italian government imposed lockdowns for the entire country (more than 60 million people) in an attempt to stop the spread of the disease there . India quarantined itself from the world for a period of one month. Most governments around the world restricted or advised against all non-essential travel to and from countries and areas affected by

3780-628: The November 2001 election , the Australian Federal Department of Health and Aged Care was abolished and replaced with the Australian Federal Department of Health and Ageing . The Australian Federal Department of Health and Ageing was abolished in 2013 and replaced by the current Australian Federal Department of Health on 18 September 2013 by way of an Administrative Arrangements Order issued by

3888-560: The October 1998 election , the department was abolished and replaced by the Australian Federal Department of Health and Aged Care, named to reflect new responsibilities and functions. Responsibility for Family and Children's Services, Disability Programs and the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service were transferred to the Department of Family and Community Services on 22 October 1998. Following

3996-706: The Plant Diseases Act 2002 , while the Pest Plants and Animals Act 2005 protects land and aquatic resources from threats posed by from animal and plant pests in the ACT. Between 2017 and 2019, consultation took place on proposals for a new ACT Biosecurity Act, to manage biosecurity as a shared responsibility consistent with approaches taken by the other states and the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO),

4104-611: The Therapeutic Goods Administration and the National Health and Medical Research Council . The department is responsible to parliament through the minister for health and aged care , and is supported by four assistant ministers. The department secretary , Blair Comley , is responsible for day-to-day accountability of the organisation. The chief medical officer is Paul Kelly , who oversees clinical operations. The first Department of Health

4212-604: The United Nations Economic and Social Council in 1984. The Siracusa Principles state that restrictions on human rights under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights must meet standards of legality, evidence-based necessity , proportionality, and gradualism, noting that public health can be used as grounds for limiting certain rights if the state needs to take measures 'aimed at preventing disease or injury or providing care for

4320-428: The movement of people , animals, and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests . It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have been exposed to a communicable disease , yet do not have a confirmed medical diagnosis . It is distinct from medical isolation , in which those confirmed to be infected with a communicable disease are isolated from

4428-547: The trentino , or "thirty-day isolation" period, first imposed in 1377 in the Republic of Ragusa , Dalmatia (modern Dubrovnik in Croatia). Merriam-Webster gives various meanings to the noun form, including "a period of 40 days", several relating to ships, "a state of enforced isolation", and as "a restriction on the movement of people and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests ". The word

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4536-586: The Act effected a risk -based approach, but includes several measures to manage unacceptable levels of biosecurity risk. Each State and Territory has either a single Biosecurity Act or a suite of biosecurity-related statutes to manage biosecurity within Australia. From August 2007 until September 2009, Biosecurity Australia, an agency of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry , provided science-based quarantine assessments and policy advice to protect plant and animal health in Australia, in order to protect

4644-541: The Act, was signed into law by the Health Minister. The purpose of the new legislation is "to make contact tracing faster and more effective by encouraging public acceptance and uptake of COVIDSafe", COVIDSafe being the new mobile app created for the purpose. The function of the app is to record contact between any two people who both have the app on their phones when they come within 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) of each other. The encrypted data would remain on

4752-436: The Act. The Act only allows for three months, but may be extended for a further three if the Governor-General is satisfied that it is required. The Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Emergency Requirements) Determination 2020 , made by the Health Minister on the same day, forbids international cruise ships from entering Australian ports before 15 April 2020. On 25 March 2020,

4860-459: The Australian agricultural economy and to enhance Australia's access to international animal- and plant-related markets. Import risk assessments (IRAs) by Biosecurity Australia included a variety of flora and fauna . In September 2009, a division of DAFF known as Biosecurity Services Group took over its functions. DAFF became the Department of Agriculture in September 2013, followed by

4968-533: The Bubonic plague. A quarantine involved isolating healthy travellers for a period of time so that it could be ascertained if they were sick or not. The mandatory quarantine of special groups of patients, including those with leprosy, started early in Islamic history. In the early 8th century the sixth Umayyad caliph Al-Walid I segregated lepers from the general population, with some later sources crediting

5076-601: The East and preventing its spread within Europe. All but that of 1897 were concerned with cholera . No result came of those at Paris (1852), Constantinople (1866), Vienna (1874), and Rome (1885), but each of the subsequent ones doctrine of constructive infection of a ship as coming from a scheduled port, and an approximation to the principles advocated by the United Kingdom for many years. The principal countries which retained

5184-526: The Greek-Turkish border, all travellers entering and exiting the Ottoman Empire would be quarantined for 9–15 days. Upon appearance of the plague, the quarantine stations would be militarised and the Ottoman army would be involved in border control and disease monitoring . Since 1852, several conferences were held involving European powers, with a view to uniform action in keeping out infection from

5292-552: The Health Minister made a second determination, the Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Overseas Travel Ban Emergency Requirements) Determination 2020 , which "forbids Australian citizens and permanent residents from leaving Australian territory by air or sea as a passenger". On 25 April 2020, the Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency) (Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential) (Emergency Requirements—Public Health Contact Information) Determination 2020 , made under subsection 477(1) of

5400-496: The IGAB in 2012. The NBC is "responsible for managing a national, strategic approach to biosecurity threats relating to plant and animal pests and diseases, marine pests and aquatics, and the impact of these on agricultural production, the environment, community well-being and social amenity", with one of its core objectives being to cooperation, coordination and consistency among the various government agencies involved. The Secretary of

5508-454: The NBC should improve its transparency and accountability, including making more information publicly available". In all, it published 41 recommendations to improve Australia's biosecurity system. Managing biosecurity risk has become more challenging due to increasing risks, the changing nature of risks, and increases in associated management costs. Factors such as globalisation, international and interstate migration, climate change, tourism, and

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5616-591: The National Environmental Biosecurity Response Agreement (NEBRA). An independent review of Australia's biosecurity system and the underpinning IGAB undertaken in 2017, resulting in the Priorities for Australia's biosecurity system report, noted that the "application of shared responsibility for biosecurity is difficult and challenging,... primarily because the roles and responsibilities of participants across

5724-583: The Quarantine Administration, in Istanbul. These two institutions set up permanent quarantines throughout the eastern Mediterranean, based on the western Mediterranean quarantine model. For example, at the port of İzmir , all ships and their cargo would be inspected and those suspected of carrying the plague would be towed to separate docks and their personnel housed in separate buildings for a determined period of time. In Thessaly , along

5832-547: The SARS pandemic, the Ebola pandemic and extensive quarantines applied throughout the world during the COVID-19 pandemic since 2020. Ethical and practical considerations need to be considered when applying quarantine to people. Practice differs from country to country; in some countries, quarantine is just one of many measures governed by legislation relating to the broader concept of biosecurity ; for example, Australian biosecurity

5940-530: The Venetian language form, meaning "forty days". This is due to the 40-day isolation of ships and people practised as a measure of disease prevention related to the plague . Between 1348 and 1359, the Black Death wiped out an estimated 30% of Europe's population, and a significant percentage of Asia's population. Such a disaster led governments to establish measures of containment to handle recurrent epidemics. A document from 1377 states that before entering

6048-574: The border, travel information and warnings, the import and export of human remains , national public health emergency response planning at the borders and Australia's international obligations, in particular the International Health Regulations (IHR). A Joint External Evaluation (JEE) e following the 2013–2016 Western African Ebola virus epidemic showed that Australia has very high level of capacity of response. Australia's National Action Plan for Health Security 2019-2023

6156-468: The caliph with opening a hospital . The separation of lepers from the general population was also practiced in the Moroccan city of Fez, where lepers were relocated to a cave system outside of the city. Dedicated leprosariums were built in the time of the Ottoman sultan Murad II in the 15th century, with some of the facilities operating for centuries. The word "quarantine" originates from quarantena ,

6264-556: The city-state of Ragusa in Dalmatia (modern Dubrovnik in Croatia), newcomers had to spend 30 days (a trentine ) in a restricted place (originally nearby islands) waiting to see whether the symptoms of Black Death would develop. In 1448 the Venetian Senate prolonged the waiting period to 40 days, thus giving birth to the term "quarantine". The forty-day quarantine proved to be an effective formula for handling outbreaks of

6372-427: The countries from other places (whether on holiday or any other reason), having developed infections through food, water, insect bites, or contact with animals or other people. Often the infection is unknown because it is not obvious, and the infected person is not aware of it themselves, until they become unwell some time later. Some of these diseases may be serious, and biosecurity measures are necessary to ensure that

6480-409: The disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp. Moses ordered that dwellings from which infected Jews had gone should be inspected before being occupied again, and that people recovering from contagious disease were not to be allowed to go abroad until examined. A hadith attributed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad advised individuals present in a region with

6588-649: The effects of which can be deadly. In November 2016, white spot virus was detected on a prawn farm on the Logan River in south-east Queensland for the first time in the country. By March 2021 it was also being detected in Deception Bay and was widespread in Moreton Bay , in the Brisbane area. The federal government was reviewing its import requirements, and farmers and fishers were lobbying for

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6696-468: The existing framework of regulations governing biosecurity in Australia. New requirements included how the then Department of Agriculture and Water Resources would manage biosecurity risks associated with goods, people and vessels entering Australia. The Biosecurity Bill 2014 passed through parliament on 14 May 2015 with bipartisan support, as possibly "one of the most substantial and significant pieces of legislation to pass through Parliament during

6804-416: The first part established the goal, objectives and principles of the system, as well as the purpose and scope of the agreement; the second part, the schedules, outlined the priority work areas for governments and their key decision-making committee, the NBC (National Biosecurity Committee). The work based on IGAB led to the development of significant and sound national policy principles and frameworks, including

6912-406: The government agency responsible for scientific research, collaborates with the relevant government departments, as well as industry, universities and other international agencies, to help protect Australian people, livestock, plants and the environment. In 2014, CSIRO produced an 87-page document titled Australia's Biosecurity Future: Preparing for Future Biological Challenges . On 18 March 2020,

7020-616: The governments of Australia, New Zealand and the Australian states and territories . The department administers relevant legislation at the Australian border, and imported food must meet Australia's biosecurity requirements under the Biosecurity Act 2015 , as well as food safety requirements of the Imported Food Control Act 1992 . The Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity (IGAB) was created in January 2012. It

7128-544: The healthy population. The concept of quarantine has been known since biblical times, and is known to have been practised through history in various places. Notable quarantines in modern history include the village of Eyam in 1665 during the bubonic plague outbreak in England; East Samoa during the 1918 flu pandemic ; the Diphtheria outbreak during the 1925 serum run to Nome , the 1972 Yugoslav smallpox outbreak ,

7236-464: The inclusion of a requirement that imported prawns should be cooked. Plant industries, in particular the wheat industry and also horticulture , wine, cotton and sugar industries, can be negatively impacted by pests and diseases, as they lead to poorer quality food, less of it, higher costs to produce it, and reduced trade. Australia has remained free of many of the most harmful pest species, such as citrus greening and varroa mite (with Australia

7344-815: The increasing movement of goods are all contributing to increases in biosecurity risks. While the IGAB and NBC had been pivotal in fostering improved government collaboration, there was room for the NBC to improve its transparency and accountability, making more information publicly available. The IGAB had provided a strong mandate for advancing national biosecurity capacity and capability, which critically impacts whole-of economy and whole-of-government arrangements, affecting trade and market access, tourism, agricultural productivity, human health, environmental quality, biodiversity and social amenity. The report considered future challenges, funding measures, governance and performance measurement , listed 42 recommendations, and outlined an implementation pathway for its recommendations, and

7452-520: The infection does not spread throughout the population. The Act lists specific diseases (Listed Human Diseases, or LHDs) which are contagious and can cause significant harm to human health; as of March 2020, these LHDs include: Biosecurity Officers from the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment must be informed by any aircraft captain or ship's master , should any of their passengers show signs of an infectious disease. Human biosecurity in Australia covers protective measures enforced at

7560-425: The information card on arriving in Australia. Besides other risk factors, visitors are required to declare what food and products made of wood and other natural materials they have. Visitors who fail to do so may be subject to a fine of A$ 444, or may face criminal prosecution and be fined up to A$ 444,000 or imprisonment of up to 10 years. Australia has very strict quarantine standards. Quarantine in northern Australia

7668-404: The late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries, the best-known examples being the 1793 Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic and outbreaks in Georgia (1856) and Florida (1888). Cholera and smallpox epidemics continued throughout the nineteenth century, and plague epidemics affected Honolulu and San Francisco from 1899 until 1901. State governments generally relied on the cordon sanitaire as

7776-717: The most complete of its kind, was founded in 1526 on the island of Pomègues . The practise at all the Mediterranean lazarets did not differ from the English procedure in the Levantine and North African trade. On the arrival of cholera in 1831 some new lazarets were set up at western ports; notably, a very extensive establishment near Bordeaux . Afterwards, they were used for other purposes. Epidemics of yellow fever ravaged urban communities in North America throughout

7884-517: The movement of goods, plants and animals between States that pose a biosecurity risk. As of May 2020, the NSW , WA , Queensland and Tasmanian Governments have developed and passed consolidated Biosecurity Acts. The Australian Capital Territory Government has developed a framework for a new Act, which will closely align with the New South Wales legislation. The Government of South Australia

7992-436: The national biosecurity system are not clearly understood, accepted, or consistently recognised across the system by all involved". The review examined many aspects of the existing system. Excluded from the review were: It explicitly states that its recommendations were not intended to change or impact on human health arrangements in the health department or between the departments of agriculture and health. The report, under

8100-500: The national biosecurity system, and thus received less funding. Among its recommendations was the appointment of a new position of Chief Community and Environmental Biosecurity Officer (CCEBO) within the environment department, to perform a national policy leadership role similar to the Chief Veterinary Officer and Chief Plant Protection Officer in the national biosecurity system. The report stated that Australia has

8208-471: The old system at the time were Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Greece, and Russia (the British possessions at the time, Gibraltar, Malta, and Cyprus, being under the same influence). The aim of each international sanitary convention had been to bind the governments to a uniform minimum of preventive action, with further restrictions permissible to individual countries. The minimum specified by international conventions

8316-405: The only continent free of this pest affecting honeybee productivity). The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment is also responsible for food safety in Australia. It works with industry and other government agencies, in particular the Department of Health, and Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), to develop policy and food standards , and the regulatory system involves

8424-552: The opposite—a ship that 'requests free pratique ', i.e. that declares itself free of quarantinable disease, and requests boarding and routine port inspection. Ships in quarantine today would fly either the Q flag alone, meaning "My vessel is 'healthy' and I request free pratique", or the double Q flag (QQ), meaning "I require health clearance". The quarantining of people often raises questions of civil rights , especially in cases of long confinement or segregation from society, such as that of Mary Mallon (also known as Typhoid Mary),

8532-462: The outbreak. By late 2020, the virus had already spread within communities in large parts of the world, with many not knowing where or how they were infected. Plain yellow, green, and even black flags have been used to symbolise disease in both ships and ports, with the colour yellow having a longer historical precedent, as a colour of marking for houses of infection, previous to its use as a maritime marking colour for disease. The former flag used for

8640-516: The pandemic and once population's containment measures to reduce virus spread are required, they could be potentially affected by the disruption in daily life routine as a result of social isolation and their unseasoned ability to conceive and comprehend the short- and long-term consequences of this outbreak. Quarantine periods can be very short, such as in the case of a suspected anthrax attack, in which people are allowed to leave as soon as they shed their potentially contaminated garments and undergo

8748-460: The phone for 21 days of not encountering a person logged with confirmed COVID-19. As of April 2020, the (federal) Department of Health has a page devoted to the pandemic, which is updated daily. The state and territory governments used existing legislation relating to public health emergencies in order to bring in various measures in March. Quarantine A quarantine is a restriction on

8856-570: The plague. Dubrovnik was the first city in Europe to set up quarantine sites such as the Lazzarettos of Dubrovnik where arriving ship personnel were held for up to 40 days. According to current estimates, the bubonic plague had a 37-day period from infection to death; therefore, the European quarantines would have been highly successful in determining the health of crews from potential trading and supply ships. Other diseases lent themselves to

8964-410: The potential features of a future system. In June 2018, the role of Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer (CEBO) was created to oversee environmental biosecurity, with Ian Thompson appointed to the role. A second agreement was effected in January 2019, known as IGAB2, with all states and governments as signatories, following the review. The National Biosecurity Committee (NBC) was established under

9072-462: The practice of quarantine before and after the devastation of the plague. Those affected by leprosy were historically isolated long-term from society, and attempts were made to check the spread of syphilis in northern Europe after 1492, the advent of yellow fever in Spain at the beginning of the 19th century, and the arrival of Asiatic cholera in 1831. Venice took the lead in measures to check

9180-436: The public about the benefits of quarantine to wider society can be favourable." Although youngsters appear to be less vulnerable to COVID-19 , the side effects of the pandemic can be devastating. Quarantine from the pandemic led to an increase the prevalence of violence in the family, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Children and adolescents may be highly exposed to biopsycho social stressors generated by

9288-507: The purpose was the "Lima" ( L ) flag, which is a mixture of yellow and black flags previously used. It is sometimes called the "yellow jack" but this was also a name for yellow fever , which probably derives its common name from the flag, not the colour of the victims (cholera ships also used a yellow flag). The plain yellow flag ("Quebec" or Q in international maritime signal flags ) probably derives its letter symbol for its initial use in quarantine , but this flag in modern times indicates

9396-416: The risk of damage to crops , livestock and the environment by invasive pests or diseases that might enter any location. However, the term has evolved to include the oversight and control of biological threats to people and industries as well, including those from pandemic diseases and bioterrorism , whatever or wherever the origin of the organism causing the damage. Biosecurity is now understood as

9504-727: The serious animal diseases, such as foot and mouth disease and avian influenza (bird flu), but occurrence of one of these diseases would result in significant damage to the economy, as trade would have to be ceased in the affected products. Australia has already experienced outbreaks of animal disease events such as the 2007 Australian equine influenza outbreak and when bird flu was found on poultry farms in New South Wales , leading to widespread culling . New diseases in livestock, often first arising in wild species, may also affect human health, when they are known as zoonotic diseases . These include bird flu, SARS and Hendra virus ,

9612-402: The sick and injured.' Limitations on rights (such as quarantine) must be 'strictly necessary,' meaning that they must: In addition, when quarantine is imposed, public health ethics specify that: Finally, the state is ethically obligated to guarantee that: Quarantine can have adverse psychological effects on the quarantined, including post-traumatic stress , confusion, and anger. According to

9720-514: The spread of plague, having appointed three guardians of public health in the first years of the Black Death (1348). The next record of preventive measures comes from Reggio / Modena in 1374. Venice founded the first lazaret (on a small island adjoining the city) in 1403. In 1467 Genoa followed the example of Venice, and in 1476 the old leper hospital of Marseille was converted into a plague hospital. The great lazaret of Marseille, perhaps

9828-480: The term of the [Abbott] Government ". The Act did not radically change operational functions, but were more clearly described, with the aim of being easier to use and reducing the complexity of administering it. The main change relate was the compliance and enforcement of powers. As recommended by the Beale Review ( One Biosecurity: A Working Partnership , Roger Beale et al., 2008) and the earlier Nairn Report,

9936-492: The various pieces of legislation in the Biosecurity Act 2015 and related ordinances, determinations and instruments . The Department of Health defines biosecurity as "all the measures taken to minimise the risk of infectious diseases caused by viruses , bacteria or other micro-organisms entering, emerging, establishing or spreading in Australia, potentially harming the Australian population, our food security and economy". These risks may enter Australia after people enter

10044-586: The world. If other products are brought inside along with pests and diseases, it would damage the ecosystem seriously and add millions of costs in the local agricultural businesses. There are three quarantine Acts of Parliament in Canada: Quarantine Act (humans), Health of Animals Act (animals), and Plant Protection Act (vegetations). The first legislation is enforced by the Canada Border Services Agency after

10152-458: Was an agreement between the federal, state and territory governments, with the exception of Tasmania, intended to "improve the national biosecurity system by identifying the roles and responsibilities of governments and outline the priority areas for collaboration to minimise the impact of pests and disease on Australia's economy, environment and the community". It was focussed on controlling animal and plant pests rather than human biosecurity, as it

10260-825: Was concluded in Rio de Janeiro on 12 June 1904. A sanitary convention between the governments of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay was concluded in Montevideo on 21 April 1914. The convention covers cases of Asiatic cholera , oriental plague and yellow fever . It was ratified by the Uruguayan government on 13 October 1914, by the Paraguayan government on 27 September 1917 and by the Brazilian government on 18 January 1921. Sanitary conventions were also concluded between European states. A Soviet-Latvian sanitary convention

10368-427: Was considered that this aspect was already covered by existing agreements, and set out to improve collaboration and understanding of shared responsibilities among all parties, including industry stakeholders. The 2012 IGAB created a framework for governments to coordinate and identify priority areas of reform and action to build a stronger and more effective national biosecurity system. The agreement comprised two parts:

10476-668: Was decided during the prevalence of plague, every country had the right to close its land borders to traffic. At the Red Sea , it was decided after discussion a healthy vessel could pass through the Suez Canal and continue its voyage in the Mediterranean during the incubation period of the disease and that vessels passing through the Canal in quarantine might, subject to the use of the electric light, coal up in quarantine at Port Said by night or by day, and that passengers might embark in quarantine at that port. Infected vessels, if these carry

10584-467: Was developed to help to implement the recommendations from the JEE. Management of ill travellers is one aspect of human biosecurity management; prevention of potential disease vectors (such as exotic mosquitoes ) is another. One of the biggest threats to human health in the history of Australia arose with the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia in March 2020. The Federal Government under Scott Morrison invoked

10692-436: Was established in 1921 and was the precursor to today's Department of Health. It was dissolved in 1987, when it was merged with the Department of Community Services to form the Department of Community Services and Health . In June 1991, the Department of Health, Housing and Community Services was formed when housing industry programs were transferred from the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce . In March 1993

10800-618: Was established. After a new government was elected in March 1996, the Department of Health and Family Services was formed. The department also had responsibility for the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program from the former Department of Housing and Regional Development . Later, the department assumed responsibility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health matters from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission . After

10908-514: Was in connection with the outbreak of plague in the East, and the conference met to settle on an international basis the steps to be taken to prevent, if possible, its spread into Europe. An additional convention was signed in Paris on 3 December 1903. A multilateral international sanitary convention was concluded at Paris on 17 January 1912. This convention was most comprehensive and was designated to replace all previous conventions on that matter. It

11016-421: Was signed between the governments of Germany and Latvia on 9 July 1926, for which ratifications were exchanged on 6 July 1927. In 1897, the incubation period for this disease was determined and this was to be adopted for administrative purposes. The incubation period was comparatively short, some three or four days. After much discussion ten days was accepted by a majority. The principle of disease notification

11124-526: Was signed between the governments of Poland and Romania on 20 December 1922. Ratifications were exchanged on 11 July 1923. The Polish government also concluded such a convention with the Soviet government on 7 February 1923, for which ratifications were exchanged on 8 January 1924. A sanitary convention was also concluded between the governments of Poland and Czechoslovakia on 5 September 1925, for which ratifications were exchanged on 22 October 1926. A convention

11232-458: Was signed by 40 countries, and consisted of 160 articles. Ratifications by 16 of the signatories were exchanged in Paris on 7 October 1920. Another multilateral convention was signed in Paris on 21 June 1926, to replace that of 1912. It was signed by 58 countries worldwide, and consisted of 172 articles. In Latin America, a series of regional sanitary conventions were concluded. Such a convention

11340-464: Was signed on 24 June 1922, for which ratifications were exchanged on 18 October 1923. A bilateral sanitary convention was concluded between the governments of Latvia and Poland on 7 July 1922, for which ratifications were exchanged on 7 April 1925. Another was concluded between the governments of Germany and Poland in Dresden on 18 December 1922, and entered into effect on 15 February 1923. Another one

11448-498: Was the main way the Western African Ebola virus epidemic was ended in 2016; members of the 8th WHO Emergency Committee criticised international travel restrictions imposed during the epidemic as ineffective due to difficulty of enforcement, and counterproductive as they slowed down aid efforts. The People's Republic of China has employed mass quarantines – firstly of the city of Wuhan and subsequently of all of

11556-436: Was unanimously adopted. Each government had to notify other governments of the existence of plague within their jurisdictions and state the measures of prevention being carried out to prevent its spread. The area declared infected was limited to the district or village where the disease prevailed, and no locality was deemed to be infected because of the importation into it of a few cases of plague while there has been no spread. It

11664-473: Was very nearly the same as the British practice, which had been in turn adapted to continental opinion in the matter of the importation of rags. The Venice convention of 30 January 1892 dealt with cholera by the Suez Canal route; that of Dresden of 15 April 1893, with cholera within European countries; that of Paris of 3 April 1894, with cholera by the pilgrim traffic; and that of Venice, on 19 March 1897,

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