In applying the provisions of this Law, the following terms and phrases shall bear the meanings assigned thereto respectively, unless the context otherwise requires:
State: United Arab Emirates. 
Ministry: Ministry of Health. 
Minister: Minister of Health. 
Health Body: Any federal government or local body having competence over health affairs in the State. 
Concerned Department: Department of Preventive Medicine at the Ministry or the equivalent department in other Health Bodies. 
Communicable Disease: An infectious disease resulting from the transmission of a pathogenic agent or one of its toxic products or secretions either directly or indirectly to another person and infecting him with the disease. 
Pathogenic Agent: The agent causing the Communicable Disease. 
Carrier of the Pathogenic Agent: The person who has the Pathogenic Agent in his body without showing the signs and symptoms of the disease. 
Epidemic: A health emergency represented in the emergence of cases of a disease that communicated among a population group in a certain geographical area within a certain period at a marked increase from the normal expectations compared to a period similar to the previous period at the same region and time in the same area and causes concerns at the national level. 
Contamination: The presence of an infectious agent from the Pathogenic Agents or those causing the Communicable Disease in a body, tool or material. 
Disinfection: The utilization of chemical, physical or other approved methods to eliminate the largest proportion of the agents causing the Communicable Disease. 
Endemic: A disease which is constantly present in a certain geographic area or population group. 
Infected: Each person infected with the Pathogenic Agent or its toxic products or secretions whether or not the signs and symptoms of the disease have appeared on him. 
Suspected: Is the person who is concluded to bear the pathogenic Agent from his medical history or signs that appear on him. 
Contact: Whoever in contact with the Infected or Carrier of the Pathogenic Agent in a manner that enables the transmission of infection to him during disease spread. 
Isolation: Is the separation of the Infected or Suspected from the healthy persons willingly or forcibly for the incubation period of the disease in suitable healthy places and conditions in order to prevent the transmission of infection from the Infected or Suspected to another person. 
Quarantine: Is the restriction of the activities of healthy people or animals that have been exposed to a Pathogenic Agent during disease spread for a period equivalent to the longest incubation period. 
Involuntary Hospitalization: To force the patient to stay in a health facility for a certain period in order to receive the treatment prescribed to him. 
Surveillance: To constantly inspect of all aspects of occurrence and spread of the Communicable Disease through collecting, comparing and analyzing data for the purposes of public health in a systematic and continuous manner and to broadcast information on public health in time for the purposes of health evaluation and response, when necessary. 
Immunization: To protect individuals from Communicable Disease that can be protected from by the administration of vaccines, serums or preventive medications. 
Facility: It is the shop, factory, company or any other place where a number of people work. 
Health Facility: It is the Facility where a health activity is practiced regardless the number of workers therein. 
Voluntary Anonymous Testing: Is the testing that grants the person, who chooses it within the frame of prevention and treatment from Communicable Diseases, strict confidentiality which enables the patient to hide his identity upon undergoing testing. 

This Law aims at protecting public health by promoting the State's efforts on implementation of the strategy of controlling Communicable Diseases and preventing their spread and striking balance between the requirements of public health and individuals' rights in accordance with the international health regulations.

The provisions of this Law shall apply to every person residing inside the State and all Communicable Diseases.

1. The following categories shall, whenever they become aware of or suspected the infection or death of any person by any of the Communicable Diseases listed in Group (A) of Schedule (1) attached hereto, immediately notify the body it follows by virtue of the work thereof no later than 24 hours:
A. Physicians working in the government or private sector;
B. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the government or private sector; and
C. Practitioners of medical professions by persons other than physicians and pharmacists in the government or private sector.
2. The following categories shall, whenever they become aware of or suspected the infection or death of any person by any of the Communicable Diseases listed in Group (A) of Schedule (1) attached hereto, to immediately notify the Ministry or the nearest Health Body thereof:
A. Adult contacts;
B. Immediate supervisor at the place of work or study of the patient or Suspected;
C. Captain of the ship, pilot or diver of a public means of transport, if the patient or suspected travelling on board of any of the same;
D. Manager of the punitive Facility, hotel, camp, orphanage or any touristic gatherings or any other gatherings where the patient or Suspected is present; and
E. Criminal investigator.
3. The Executive Regulation hereof shall determine the procedures and means by which reporting is made as well as the forms utilized for such purpose.

The Ministry, Health Body, and private Health Facilities shall notify the concerned Department upon the discovery of infection with a Communicable Disease Schedule (1) attached hereto, provided that notification shall be made immediately no later than 24 hours with respect to the diseases listed in Group (A) of the Schedule referred thereto and no later than 7 days with respect to the diseases listed in Group (B) of the same Schedule.

The Executive Regulation hereof shall determine the means by which notification is made as well as the forms relevant thereto.

Every person, who becomes aware of or suspects that any animal owned by him or under his supervision or responsibility is infected with a Communicable Disease that can be transmitted to humans and listed in Schedule (3) attached hereto, shall immediately inform the governmental veterinary body of the animal's infection. If such body finds out that the animal is infected with a Communicable Disease, it shall expeditiously take the measures necessary for avoiding the spread of the disease or transmission thereof to humans and immediately inform the Concerned Department, in accordance with the provisions of the Executive Regulation hereof.

If numerous infections with diarrhea, abnormal vomiting, cases of poisoning due to food or beverages suspected to be poisonous or spoiled for an unknown reason, or cases of fever that could not be diagnosed have spread in a certain geographical area or population group, the Ministry and Health Body shall take the necessary measures and coordinate with the relevant bodies in order to prevent disease spread and treat the patients.

The Ministry and Health Body shall establish at the border crossing points, which lie within its geographical scope, a health unit, as needed, in order to control the Communicable Diseases and prevent the spread thereof in accordance with the controls prescribed by the Executive Regulation hereof.

The Ministry and Health Body shall be responsible for surveillance of Communicable Diseases in all Health Facilities and other Facilities, places and gatherings in accordance with the procedures specified under the Executive Regulation hereof.

The relevant bodies shall provide the Ministry and Health Body with the requested information and take the necessary actions.

1. The Ministry and Health Body shall, upon being informed of a person who is infected or suspected to be infected with a Communicable Disease from the diseases listed in any of Schedules (1) and (3) attached hereto, immediately perform the following:
A. Move to the place of infection in cases that so require;
B. Place the case under surveillance in order to confirm the disease an source of infection and make investigations on the contacts and non-reported cases of infection;
C. Take the expeditious measures necessary for preventing disease spread, including Isolation, if necessary;
D. Perform the necessary tests, including the collection of samples and dispatching them for laboratory inspection in order to diagnose the disease and determine the source of infection; and
E. Refer the Infected and Contacts to receive the necessary treatment.
2. The Health Facilities shall fully cooperate with the Ministry and Health Body in order to be provided with the required information; including diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of the patient.

The Ministry and Health Body shall be entitled to issue a decision of involuntary hospitalization in order to treat those infected with the diseases set forth in Schedule (1) attached hereto, if they refused to start or continue the treatment prescribed to them despite of being notified of the necessity thereof. The concerned bodies shall be responsible for the implementation of such decision, each as competent. In addition, such bodies may seek the assistance of the public authority to implement such decision.

1. If the manager of an educational institution or any other facility suspected that any student or worker in the facility is infected with a Communicable Disease, he shall refer the suspected to the competent physician for examination and receive a report from the latter indicating the health status of the Suspected. If it has been proved that such person is infected with such disease, he shall immediately inform the Ministry or Health Body thereof and take the appropriate measures for preventing disease spread.
2. The manager of the educational institution or any other Facility, Ministry and Health Body shall isolate the Infected and Contacts or quarantine them, either by prohibiting them from entering the Facility or by any means that prevent them from contacting other people, taking into account the time limits set forth in Schedule (2) attached hereto or the time limits specified by the Ministry and Health Body.
3. The manager of the educational institution or any other Facility may only accept the return of a person infected with a Communicable Disease to the Facility from which he was distanced after meeting all the conditions prescribed by the Ministry or Health Body for the return of the Infected to the Facility where he belongs.

1. The Ministry and Health Body shall, when necessary, after obtaining the approval of the Minister, in coordination with the relevant bodies, order the Disinfection of any international means of transport or placement of any geographical area under quarantine until the same is disinfected in accordance with the international health regulations in order to prevent disease outbreak or limit disease spread.
2. The Ministry and Health Body shall, whenever necessary, in coordination with the relevant bodies, take the actions necessary for the attachment of any internal means of transport or disinfect buildings and real property or movables in order to prevent disease outbreak or limit disease spread.

The Ministry and Health Body shall grant the Infected or Suspected a sick leave if it was proven that such person is infected or suspected of being infected with a Communicable Disease or a Carrier of a Pathogenic Agent and his continuance in practicing his activity would prejudice the health of other people.

The Ministry and Health Body shall coordinate with the concerned body, upon the possibility of spread of any Communicable Disease, to order the closure of any educational institution, cinema or a sports or entertainment facility or any other place, or to extend the period of closure thereof to a period sufficient for preventing or limiting the spread of any Communicable Disease.

The order of closure shall be issued by the Minster and the concerned body shall be committed to the implementation thereof, each as competent.

The Ministry and Health Body shall coordinate with the concerned body to order the removal of any temporary building or damage any furniture, clothes, etc. if it is proven that the same are contaminated or likely to be contaminated with any Pathogenic Agent and cannot be disinfected with the followed methods.

Such order shall be issued by the Minister and the concerned body shall be committed to implementation thereof, each as competent.

The Ministry and Health Body shall coordinate with the concerned body to order the following:

1. To damage any food, beverages, or materials utilized in the preparation and processing foods have been confirmed to be contaminated with the Pathogenic Agent of any Communicable Disease that is transmitted through food or beverages, or to safely dispose of any animal that is infected or suspected to be infected with the Pathogenic Agent; and
2. To prohibit trading in products upon the occurrence of infection with a disease that is transmitted through food or beverages in factories of food or beverages, farms, or food processing facilities, especially dairy products and their derivatives, until confirming that the same are free from Pathogenic Agents and taking the health procedures required in this regard.
Such order shall be issued by the Ministry or Health Body, as the case may be, and the concerned body shall be committed to implementation thereof, each as competent.

In case of Epidemics, the Ministry and Health Body shall coordinate with the concerned body to take the actions required in this regard and order the following:

1. To announce any place or geographical area as an infected place and regulate entrance into and exist out of the same;
2. To prohibit or constrain gatherings or holding private and public ceremonies;
3. To take appropriate health procedures regarding the regulation of markets, roads and other public places;
4. To take appropriate procedures vis-à-vis the patient, Suspect or Contacts thereof for the purpose of preventing disease outbreak or limiting disease spread.
5. To take health procedures required for ensuring the safety of water and protecting the sources thereof from contamination with any Pathogenic Agent; and
6. To take any other procedure deemed necessary for protecting public health and preventing widespread of the Epidemic.

It is prohibited to move the corpse of any person deceased from a Communicable Disease, open a coffin of a person deceased abroad from a Communicable Disease, or burry any person deceased from a Communicable Disease, except under the terms and conditions specified under the Executive Regulation of this Law.

1. Newborns shall be immunized against the targeted Communicable Diseases in accordance with the National Immunization Programme (NIP) developed by the Ministry, provided that those covered by NIP shall receive immunization and services provided un this regard free of charge.
2. The Minister shall issue the resolutions and schedules regulating free immunization against the diseases targeted by NIP.

1. The child's parent or his guardian shall accompany him/her to immunization centers in order to receive the required immunization doses in accordance with the prescribed immunization program.
2. The physicians of school health shall, in coordination with the school principals, immunize the children under their supervision in accordance with NIP.

1. Without prejudice to the provisions of Article (18) hereof, the Minister may, in coordination with the Health Body, issue a resolution to be published in the Official Gazette and various media. Such resolution shall specify the areas where the Epidemic has appeared or likely to appear therein and can be controlled by immunization or any other preventive measure. The Minister may commit any person to be immunized for protection from such disease under such resolution.
2. The Health Body shall incur the cost of preventative and therapeutic measures; including immunization, diagnosis and burial of the deceased.

1. The Ministry and Health Body shall be committed to raise awareness of health requirements necessary for travelers to avoid infection with Communicable diseases in accordance with the international health regulations.
2. The people desiring to perform the rituals of Hajj or Umrah shall be subject to immunization against Communicable Diseases as well as the other health procedures prior to leaving the State and upon their return, in accordance with the required preventive health procedures specified by the competent Health Bodies.

There shall be exempted from immunization and preventive procedures, every person whose health condition does not allow immunization or any specific preventive measures in accordance with the decision of the competent physician.

1. The Ministry and Health Body shall be entitled to create sections, units or programs affiliated thereto, each thereof is competent with one or more Endemics specified together with the control procedures thereof under a ministerial resolution.
2. The Ministry and Health Body shall provide places for Isolation in accordance with the approved specifications and standards specified under the Executive Regulation hereof.

The Ministry and Health Body shall be entrusted to regulating the procedures of medical examination of those coming to the State for the purpose of residence, working or studying on order to determine whether or not they are free from the Communicable Diseases specified under a resolution of the Council of Ministers.

Without prejudice to the measures necessary for prevention and protection from Communicable Diseases, it is prohibited to develop any constraints or special conditions vis-à-vis the people infected with Communicable Diseases that prevent them from obtaining the rights prescribed to them in the legislations in force in the State, taking into account the health condition of the same.

The people infected with Communicable Diseases specified in the Executive Regulation of this Law shall be entitled to receive required health care and treatment in the government health Facilities in accordance with the procedures specified under the Executive Regulation hereof, provided that the same shall be free of charge with respect to the disease of Group (A) of Schedule (1) attached hereto, unless the same is covered by health insurance.

The people infected with Communicable Diseases shall be entitled to maintain the confidentiality of their information relevant to the disease. Such information shall only be disclosed in the cases prescribed by law.

With the exception of the provisions of Article (4) hereof, for the purpose of detection of the Communicable Diseases specified under the Executive Regulation hereof, any person may perform a Voluntary Anonymous Testing at the health centers and institutions designated under a decision of the Ministry or Health Body. In this case, the physicians and all workers in such centers and institutions who undertake such testing shall neither disclose the patient's identity nor his testing result. The Infected diagnosed with having the disease shall receive treatment pursuant to the provisions of this Article. The residence permit of the infected immigrants shall remain valid until the expiry of the term thereof and may be renewed if the results of medical examination show that the immigrant is medically fit. The Executive Regulation of this Law shall determine the rules governing Anonymous Testing, including the method of protecting the Contacts.

1. The person who becomes aware that he is infected or suspected to be infected with any of the Communicable Diseases specified by the Concerned Department amongst the diseases set forth in Schedule (1) attached hereto, shall be banned from travelling or moving to any place other than the health Facility, except under the approval of the Ministry or Health Body.
2. Any arrival becomes aware that he is infected or suspected to be infected with any of the Communicable Diseases specified by the Concerned Department amongst the diseases set forth in Schedule (1) attached hereto, shall be banned from entering the State prior to informing the Ministry or Health Body thereof and obtaining the approval thereof. He shall also notify the same upon his arrival to the State in accordance with the procedures specified under the Executive Regulation of this Law.
3. The Health Body shall take the necessary measures vis-à-vis the arrivals from countries infected with any Communicable Diseases specified by the Ministry or Health Body amongst the diseases set forth in Schedule (1) attached hereto. Such arrivals shall be subject to the required health procedures specified under the Executive Regulation of this Law in order to confirm whether or not they are free from Communicable Diseases. With respect to the Inspected, they shall be subject to the procedures prescribed by the Ministry and the Health Body, including Isolation, in accordance with their health condition.
4. The Ministry shall declare the infected countries in accordance with the procedures specified under the Executive Regulation of this Law.

The Infected shall, upon being aware of his infection with a disease set forth in Schedule (1) attached hereto, visit the Ministry or Health Body together with his Contacts in order to receive treatment, counseling and awareness concerning the risks of infection and methods of infection transmission.

The Infected shall, upon being aware of his infection with a disease set forth in Schedule (1) attached hereto, commit to the preventive measures, implement the prescriptions and adhere to the instructions given to him in order to prevent the transmission of infection to others.

Any person who becomes aware of his infection with a disease set forth in Schedule (1) attached hereto, shall be prohibited from commission of any deliberate action that results in the transmission of the disease to others.

The employees of the Ministry and Health Body designated under a resolution of the Minister of Justice in agreement with the Minister and the Head of the Health Body shall have the capacity of judicial officers with respect to proving violations to the provisions of this Law or the regulations and resolutions issued in implementation thereof, each as competent.

Every person who violates any of the provisions of Articles (4) and (6) hereof shall be punished with imprisonment and/or a fine of not more than AED 10,000.

Every person who violates the provisions of Clause (1) of Article (21) hereof shall be punished with a fine of not less than AED 5,000 and not more than AED 20,000.

Every person who violates any provision of Clauses (1) and (2) of Article (31) and Articles (32) and (33) hereof, shall be punished with imprisonment and/or a fine of not less than AED 10,000 and not more than AED 50,000.

Every person who violates the provisions of Article (34) hereof, shall be punished with imprisonment for a period of not more than 5 years and/or a fine of not less than AED 50,000 and not more than AED 100,000. In case of recidivism, the term of imprisonment shall be doubled.

Without prejudice to the provisions of Articles (38) and (39) hereof, the court may order to subject the patient to Involuntary Hospitalization or treatment on the basis of a report from the Concerned Department.

The imposition of penalties provided for herein shall not prejudice any severer penalty stipulated in another law.

The Minister shall, in coordination with the Health Body, issue national programs for the main Communicable Diseases.

The Ministry shall establish a national register for monitoring and counting the Communicable Diseases as well as any other relevant systems.

The Minister shall be entitled to make any amendment to any of the Schedules of Communicable Diseases attached hereto in coordination with the Health Body. The amendment resolution shall be published in the Official Gazette.

The Council of Ministers shall, on the proposal of the Minister, after coordinating with the Health Body, issue the Executive Regulation of this Law within six months as of the date of entry into force thereof.

Federal Law No. (27) of 1981 on Control of Communicable Diseases shall be repealed. In addition, any provision in violation or contradiction with the provisions of this Law shall be repealed.

This Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and enter into force thirty days after its publication.