Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases — Full English Translation (2004, Amended 2013)

Table of Contents

Chapter I — General Provisions

Article 1 — This Law is enacted for the purposes of preventing, controlling, and eliminating the occurrence and prevalence of infectious diseases, and safeguarding human health and public health.

Article 2 — The state shall implement a policy of prevention first in respect of infectious diseases, combining prevention with treatment, categorized management, and reliance on science and public participation.

Article 3 — Infectious diseases specified in this Law shall be divided into three classes: Class A, Class B, and Class C.

Article 4 — Class A infectious diseases shall include plague and cholera. Class B infectious diseases shall include… COVID-19 and other infectious diseases that require the adoption of Class A measures. Class C infectious diseases shall include…

Article 5 — People’s governments at all levels shall lead the work of prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.

Article 6 — The health administration department under the State Council shall be in charge of the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases nationwide.

Article 7 — Disease prevention and control institutions at all levels shall be responsible for monitoring, forecasting, epidemiological investigation, and reporting of the epidemic situation of infectious diseases.

Article 8 — Medical institutions shall be responsible for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases related to medical treatment.

Article 9 — The state shall support and encourage scientific research on the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.

Article 10 — The state shall carry out health education on the prevention of infectious diseases.

Article 11 — The prevention and treatment of infectious diseases shall incorporate community-level prevention and control measures.

Article 12 — All units and individuals shall have the obligation to report any infectious disease patients or suspected patients.

Chapter II — Prevention of Infectious Diseases

Article 13 — People’s governments at all levels shall organize health education on the prevention of infectious diseases.

Article 14 — People’s governments at all levels shall carry out sanitation and health campaigns to eliminate vectors of infectious diseases.

Article 15 — The state shall implement a planned immunization system.

Article 16 — The state shall establish a surveillance and early warning system for infectious diseases.

Article 17 — Disease prevention and control institutions shall monitor the occurrence and prevalence of infectious diseases.

Article 18 — People’s governments at all levels shall improve the construction of basic sanitation facilities in rural areas.

Article 19 — Drinking water provided by centralized water supply units shall comply with national sanitary standards.

Article 20 — Sewage, waste, and feces shall be treated harmlessly.

Article 21 — Medical institutions shall strictly enforce management systems to prevent iatrogenic infections.

Article 22 — Disease prevention and control institutions and medical institutions shall properly manage pathogenic microorganism laboratories.

Article 23 — Blood collection and supply institutions and biological product manufacturers shall strictly comply with relevant state provisions.

Article 24 — People’s governments at or above the county level shall strengthen the prevention and control of infectious diseases among vulnerable populations.

Article 25 — Units and individuals keeping, selling, or transporting wild animals shall comply with relevant quarantine regulations.

Chapter III — Reporting, Notification, and Announcement of the Epidemic Situation

Article 26 — Disease prevention and control institutions and medical institutions shall report the epidemic situation of infectious diseases in accordance with law.

Article 27 — When discovering Class A infectious disease patients or suspected patients, a report shall be made to the local disease prevention and control institution within two hours.

Article 28 — When discovering Class B or Class C infectious disease patients, a report shall be made within 24 hours.

Article 29 — Disease prevention and control institutions that receive reports of infectious disease outbreaks shall report to the local health administration department immediately.

Article 30 — Health administration departments of local people’s governments shall immediately report to the local people’s government after receiving the epidemic report.

Article 31 — The health administration department under the State Council shall timely and accurately publish the national epidemic situation of infectious diseases.

Article 32 — Provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government may publish the epidemic situation within their respective administrative regions.

Article 33 — The announcement of the epidemic situation of infectious diseases shall be timely, accurate, and transparent.

Chapter IV — Control of the Epidemic Situation

Article 34 — When an infectious disease breaks out or becomes prevalent, the local people’s government shall immediately organize forces to contain and control it.

Article 35 — Medical institutions shall take isolation treatment measures for Class A infectious disease patients and pathogen carriers.

Article 36 — For Class A infectious disease suspected patients, treatment in isolation at a designated location shall be arranged.

Article 37 — Medical institutions shall take necessary treatment and control measures for Class B and Class C infectious disease patients.

Article 38 — People’s governments at or above the county level may take emergency measures when necessary, including restricting or suspending gatherings and closing contaminated public places.

Article 39 — The government may implement quarantine measures for persons, goods, or means of transport in areas where Class A infectious diseases occur.

Article 40 — During outbreaks, the government may requisition housing, means of transport, and related facilities and equipment.

Article 41 — The government shall ensure the supply of medicines and medical devices for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.

Article 42 — Persons suffering from infectious diseases shall receive treatment in isolation, and relevant units shall not discriminate against them.

Article 43 — Transportation and other relevant departments shall take corresponding preventive and control measures for means of transport.

Chapter V — Medical Treatment

Article 44 — Medical institutions shall provide medical treatment and on-site rescue to patients with infectious diseases or suspected patients.

Article 45 — Medical institutions shall implement a system of pre-examination and triage.

Article 46 — Medical institutions shall disinfect and safely dispose of places and articles contaminated by infectious disease pathogens.

Article 47 — Medical institutions shall properly handle medical waste in accordance with law.

Article 48 — Medical institutions shall provide medical treatment and care to patients with infectious diseases.

Chapter VI — Supervision and Administration

Article 49 — Health administration departments of people’s governments at or above the county level shall supervise and inspect the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.

Article 50 — Health administration departments shall have dedicated infectious disease prevention and treatment supervisors.

Article 51 — Supervisory and law enforcement personnel may access relevant premises, review materials, and collect samples.

Article 52 — Health administration departments and relevant departments shall promptly investigate and handle reports.

Chapter VII — Safeguard Measures

Article 53 — The state shall incorporate the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases into the national economic and social development plan.

Article 54 — Local people’s governments at or above the county level shall ensure the funding for infectious disease prevention and treatment.

Article 55 — The state shall strengthen the construction of the grassroots infectious disease prevention and treatment system.

Article 56 — The state shall provide free treatment for certain infectious diseases.

Article 57 — The state shall provide free vaccination against infectious diseases included in the national immunization program.

Article 58 — The state shall establish a reserve system for medicines and medical devices for infectious disease prevention and treatment.

Chapter VIII — Legal Liability

Article 59 — Where local people’s governments fail to perform their duties, the directly responsible persons shall be sanctioned.

Article 60 — Where disease prevention and control institutions violate this Law, the health administration department shall order correction and impose sanctions.

Article 61 — Where medical institutions violate this Law, the health administration department shall order correction and may revoke the relevant licenses.

Article 62 — Where blood collection and supply institutions violate this Law, sanctions shall be imposed in accordance with law.

Article 63 — Where any unit or individual causes the spread of an infectious disease in violation of this Law, civil liability for compensation shall be borne.

Article 64 — Where a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be pursued in accordance with law.

Chapter IX — Supplementary Provisions

Article 65 — The state shall provide special support and preferential treatment for medical personnel and other relevant personnel participating in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.

Article 66 — Specific measures for the treatment and compensation of patients with infectious diseases and their families shall be formulated by the State Council.

Article 67 — This Law shall come into force on December 1, 2004.