PUBLIC HEALTH ON AIRCRAFT [ S.L.36.16 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 36.16
PUBLIC HEALTH ON AIRCRAFT REGULATIONS
1st April, 1953
GOVERNMENT NOTICE 127 of 1953, as amended by Ordinance XVI of
1960 and Act XIII of 1983.
PART I 
INTRODUCTORY
Title.
Regulations.
Interpretation.
Amended by:
XVI. 1960.3.
2. (1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise
requires-
"additional measures" means such of the additional measures
specified in the Second Schedule to these Regulations with respect
to the quarantinable diseases as are appropriate;
"aerodrome" means any area of land or water designed,
equipped, set apart or commonly used for affording facilities for
the arrival and departure of aircraft;
"aircraft declaration of health" means a declaration containing
the information specified in the First Schedule to these
Regulations, being a part of the Aircraft General Declaration
delivered pursuant to Annex 9 to the Chicago Convention on Civil
Aviation, 1944;
"authorised officer" means the medical officer or any other
officer authorised by the responsible authority under regulation 3 to
enforce and execute any of these Regulations;
"commander" means the person for the time being in command
of an aircraft;
"customs airport" means an aerodrome for the time being so
designated by the Prime Minister;
"customs officer" means any person acting under the authority of
the Comptroller of Customs;
"excepted area" means the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands,
the Isle of Man, the Irish Republic, Italy, France in Europe,
Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg;
"immigration officer" means any person appointed by the
Commissioner of Police to act as an immigration officer;
"infected aircraft" means
( a ) an aircraft which has on board on arrival a case of
human plague, cholera, yellow fever or smallpox; or
( b ) an aircraft on which a plague-infected rodent is found
during a flight to Malta; or
( c ) an aircraft which has had a case of smallpox on board
during its voyage and which has not before arrival
2 [ S.L.36.16 PUBLIC HEALTH ON AIRCRAFT
been subject in respect of such case to appropriate
measures equivalent to those provided for in these
Regulations;
"infected area" means an aerodrome or other area included in the
list kept by the medical officer pursuant to regulation 5, and
references to an area infected with a specified disease shall be
construed accordingly;
"infected person" means a person who is suffering from a
quarantinable disease, or who is considered by the medical officer
to be infected with such a disease;
"infectious disease" means a quarantinable disease or any other
infectious or contagious disease other than veneral disease or
tuberculosis;
"International Sanitary Regulations" means the International
Sanitary Regulations (W.H.O. Regulations No. 2) adopted by the
Fourth World Health Assembly on the 25 May, 1951;
"medical officer" means the port medical officer;
"quarantinable disease" means plague, cholera, yellow fever,
small pox, typhus or relapsing fever;
"relapsing fever" means louse-borne relapsing fever;
"responsible authority", in relation to an aerodrome or other
place, means the authority charged under regulation 3 with the duty
of enforcing and executing these Regulations;
"sanitary airport" means a customs airport which has been
designated as such by the Prime Minister;
"suspect" means a person (not being an infected person) who is
considered by the medical officer to have been exposed to infection
by a quarantinable disease and to be capable of spreading the
disease;
"suspected aircraft" means an aircraft from which a case of
cholera occurring on board during the voyage has been
disembarked before the arrival of the aircraft, and which has not
before arrival been subject in respect of such case to appropriate
measures equivalent to those provided for in these Regulations;
"typhus fever" means louse-borne typhus.
"voyage", in relation to an aircraft, means the flight of the
aircraft from its point of origin via any intermediate points to its
point of termination.
(2) Any reference, however expressed, to a person leaving an
aircraft shall be construed as a reference to that person leaving the
aircraft and not continuing his journey in that aircraft.
(3) An aircraft shall not be deemed to have been in an infected
area if, having voyaged over infected territory, it has alighted in
that territory only at a sanitary airport which is not itself an
infected area.
PUBLIC HEALTH ON AIRCRAFT [ S.L.36.16 3
PART II 
GENERAL
Enforcement and 
execution of 
regulations.
3. (1) It shall be the duty of the Chief Government Medical
Officer to enforce and execute these Regulations.
(2) The Chief Government Medical Officer may attach such
terms and conditions as he thinks fit to any direction given by him
under this regulation.
(3) The Chief Government Medical Officer shall exercise his
functions as a responsible authority through such officers as may be
designated for the purpose by him or by the Minister responsible
for Health.
Appointment and 
duties of 
authorised officers 
and provision of 
services by 
responsible 
authorities
4. For the purposes of these Regulations, the Chief
Government Medical Officer may, and, if so required by the
Minister responsible for Health, shall -
( a ) appoint such registered medical practitioners, in
addition to the port medical officer; as may be
necessary for the proper enforcement and execution of
these Regulations;
( b ) give directions from time to time as to the duties which
are to be performed by any medical practitioner so
appointed or any other officer authorised to enforce
and execute these Regulations;
( c ) at or in connection with a customs airport, provide or
arrange for the provision of -
(i) premises or waiting rooms for the medical
inspection and examination of persons;
(ii) premises for the temporary isolation of persons
in accordance with these Regulations;
( d ) at or in connection with a customs airport, arrange for
the reception into a hospital of persons requiring to be
removed thereto pursuant to these Regulations;
( e ) arrange for the provision of means of transport for the
conveyance of persons to any such premises as are
referred to in paragraph ( c ) of this regulation, or to a
hospital;
( f ) at or in connection with a sanitary airport, provide or
arrange for the provision of -
(i) apparatus or other means for cleansing,
disinfecting and disinsecting aircraft, persons
and clothing and other articles, and deratting
aircraft;
(ii) a laboratory for the examination of suspected
material, or equipment for taking and
despatching such material for examination in a
laboratory;
( g ) do all such other things us in his opinion or the opinion
of the Minister responsible for Health as the case may
be, are necessary to enable the provisions of these
4 [ S.L.36.16 PUBLIC HEALTH ON AIRCRAFT
Regulations to be complied with.
List of infected 
areas.
5. (1) The medical officer at a customs airport shall from
time to time prepare and keep up-to-date a list of aerodromes and
other areas which are infected or believed to be infected with a
quarantinable disease or which may serve other places or areas so
infected or believed to be so infected, including areas which have
been delineated as yellow fever endemic zones by the World Health
Organisation pursuant to the International Sanitary Regulations.
(2) The medical officer shall supply copies of every such list
and any amendment thereof to the customs officer at the airport and
to the person in charge of the airport.
(3) In preparing and amending the said list, the medical officer
shall take into account all information sent to him from time to time
by the Minister responsible for Health.
PART III 
INCOMING AIRCRAFT
Inspection of 
aircraft.
6. (1) The medical officer may, for the purposes of these
Regulations, inspect any aircraft at a customs airport.
(2) The medical officer shall -
( a ) inspect on its arrival any aircraft in respect of which
the commander has sent a message under regulation
11;
( b ) inspect any aircraft at the airport when he has
reasonable grounds for believing that there is on board
a case or suspected case of infectious disease.
(3) The medical officer may require any aircraft which he
intends to inspect under the foregoing provisions of this regulation
to be taken to some safe and convenient part of the airport for such
inspection if it cannot otherwise be carried out effectively.
Examination, etc., 
of persons on 
aircraft.
7. (1) The medical officer may, and if so requested by the
commander or required by the Chief Government Medical Officer
shall, examine any person on board or leaving an aircraft at a
customs airport, when there are reasonable grounds for suspecting
that -
( a ) the person is suffering from an infectious disease;
( b ) the person has been exposed to infection from an
infectious disease;
( c ) the person is verminous.
(2) The medical officer may -
( a ) detain any such person for such examination at a place
appointed for the purpose;
( b ) at a sanitary airport, require any person so examined to
be disinsected, and his clothing and other articles
belonging to him to be disinfected and, where
necessary, disinsected;
( c ) except as provided in regulation 20, prohibit any
PUBLIC HEALTH ON AIRCRAFT [ S.L.36.16 5
person so examined from leaving the aircraft or
airport, or permit him to leave it on such conditions
and subject to the taking of such measures, pursuant to
these Regulations, as the medical officer considers
reasonably necessary for preventing the spread of
infection;
( d ) require the commander to take or assist in taking such
steps as, in the opinion of the medical officer, are
reasonab1y necessary for preventing the spread of
infection, for the destruction of insects or vermin, and
for the removal of conditions on the aircraft likely to
convey infection, including conditions the existence of
which might facilitate the harbouring of insects or
vermin.
Powers in respect 
of persons leaving 
aircraft.
8. (1) The passengers and crew of an aircraft shall not move
beyond the limits prescribed by the aerodrome authority before
they obtain free pratique.
(2) Where a person intending to leave an aircraft at a customs
airport is suffering, or the medical officer suspects that he is
suffering, from an infectious disease or tuberculosis, the medical
officer may -
( a ) in the case of an infectious disease, cause such person
on leaving the aircraft to be isolated, or to be removed
to a hospital or to some other suitable place approved
for that purpose by the responsible authority, as may
be appropriate; or, except as provided in regulation 20,
the medical officer may, by notice in writing to the
commander, prohibit the person from leaving the
aircraft without the consent in writing of the medical
officer; 
( b ) in the case of tuberculosis, if the person leaves the
aircraft, send information to that effect to the medical
officer of health for the area in which the intended
destination of the person is situated.
Notice to customs 
officer by medical 
officer.
9. The medical officer at a customs airport shall inform a
customs officer or a police officer of any measure applied by him
or at his direction, pursuant to these Regulations, to an aircraft, any
person thereon, or its stores, equipment or cargo.
Supply of 
information, etc., 
by commander.
10. The commander of an aircraft at a customs airport shall -
( a ) answer all questions as to the health conditions on
board, which may be put to him by an authorised
officer or a customs officer visiting the aircraft, and
furnish any such officer with all such information and
assistance as he may reasonably require for the
purposes of these Regulations;
( b ) in addition to any message sent pursuant to regulation
11, notify immediately on arrival to the medical officer
any death on the aircraft during its voyage caused
otherwise than by accident, any case of infectious
disease on the aircraft, or any circumstances on board
6 [ S.L.36.16 PUBLIC HEALTH ON AIRCRAFT
which are likely to lead to infection or the spread of
infectious disease, including in his notification
particulars as to the presence of dead rodents or
mortality or sickness among rodents on the aircraft;
( c ) comply with these Regulations, and with any
directions or requirements of an authorised officer
given or made for the purpose of these Regulations.
Notification of 
infectious disease, 
etc., on board.
11. (1) When there is on board an aircraft, during its voyage, a
person who is suffering from an infectious disease or who has
symptoms which may indicate the presence of infectious disease, or
when there are on board the aircraft any other similar circum-
stances requiring the attention of the medical officer, the
commander shall, immediately he is aware of the presence of such
disease, symptom, or other circumstances, send a radio message to
that effect to the medical officer at the first customs airport at
which the aircraft is due to arrive, or to the person in charge of such
airport.
(2) If such radio message is sent to the medical officer, he shall
immediately notify the customs officer of its contents.
(3) If such radio message is sent to the person in charge of the
customs airport, he shall immediately notify the medical officer
and the customs officer of its contents.
Aircraft 
declaration of 
health.
12. (1) On the arrival of an aircraft at a customs airport, the
commander shall complete an aircraft declaration of health and
deliver it to the customs officer or medical officer, whoever first
boards the aircraft.
(2) If the customs officer detains the aircraft pursuant to these
Regulations and he requires a copy of the declaration, the medical
officer shall furnish him with such copy.
Detention of 
aircraft.
13. (1) When on the arrival of an aircraft at a customs airport
the medical officer has reasonable grounds for believing that the
aircraft may be an infected aircraft or a suspected aircraft, or an
aircraft which, although not falling within either of such categories,
has had on board during the voyage a case of a quarantinable
disease in respect of which the aircraft has not outside Malta been
subjected to appropriate measures equivalent to those provided for
in these Regulations, he may cause the aircraft to be detained for
medical inspection.
(2) If the medical officer has caused an aircraft to be so
detained, he shall inform the person in charge of the customs
airport of such detention and send a notice in writing of such
detention to the customs officer.
Notice in writing. 14. If a customs officer receives in respect of an aircraft a
notice in writing from the medical officer under regulation 13, he
shall, if he visits the aircraft before the medical officer, deliver the
notice to the commander and take all reasonable steps to secure
compliance therewith.
Arrival of aircraft. 15. Where on the arrival of an aircraft at a customs airport it
appears to the customs officer, from information in the aircraft
PUBLIC HEALTH ON AIRCRAFT [ S.L.36.16 7
declaration of health delivered pursuant to regulation 12, or from
information otherwise obtained, that during the voyage of the
aircraft - 
( a ) there has been on the aircraft a death caused otherwise
than by accident, or a case of illness which is or is
suspected to be of an infectious nature; or
( b ) the aircraft has been in an infected area; or
( c ) death not attributable to poison or other measures for
destruction has occurred amongst rodents on the
aircraft;
he shall, unless the medical officer otherwise directs, give such
directions as to him seem necessary to secure the detention of the
aircraft, the persons carried thereon, and its stores, equipment and
cargo.
Ceasing of 
detention.
16. The detention of an aircraft by a customs officer under
these Regulations shall cease as soon as the aircraft has been
inspected by the medical officer or, if such inspection has not
commenced within three hours after the aircraft has bean so
detained, on the expiration of that period:
Provided that nothing in this regulation shall affect the
power of the medical officer to continue the detention of an aircraft
in accordance with regulation 17.
Inspection of 
aircraft within 
three hours.
17. (1) The medical officer shall inspect any aircraft and the
persons carried thereon as soon as possible and in any case within
three hours after it has been detained under these Regulations.
(2) If the aircraft is one to which the medical officer is required
by these Regulations to apply any further measure, or if after such
inspection he considers it necessary to apply any further measure
permitted by these Regulations, he may continue the detention of
the aircraft, if such continued detention is necessary for the
application of such further measure.
Release of aircraft 
from detention.
18. When the medical officer releases an aircraft from
detention he shall give notice in writing to the customs officer, to
the commander of the aircraft, and to the person in charge of the
customs airport that, so far as control under these Regulations is
concerned, the aircraft is free to proceed at or after a date and time
stated in the notice.
Persons from 
infected areas.
19. On the arrival of an aircraft at a customs airport, the
medical officer may place under surveillance any person,
disembarking therefrom, who has come from an infected area
within the appropriate period specified in paragraphs ( a ), ( b ), ( d ),
( e ) and ( f ) of sub-regulation (1) of regulation 29.
Removal of 
infected persons 
from aircraft when 
required by the 
commander.
20. The medical officer shall, if so required by the commander
of an aircraft on arrival at a customs airport, cause any infected
person to be removed from the aircraft.
Removal to 
sanitary airport.
21. If the medical officer considers that there should be applied
to an aircraft which alights elsewhere than at a sanitary airport, or
8 [ S.L.36.16 PUBLIC HEALTH ON AIRCRAFT
to any person carried thereon, measures pursuant to these
Regulations which can be applied only at a sanitary airport, he may
direct that the aircraft or any such person shall proceed to a sanitary
airport, and he shall give the commander notice in writing of the
direction and of the reasons for the direction.
Additional 
measures.
22. Without prejudice to any other provision in these
Regulations, the additional measures shall be applicable on the
arrival at a customs airport of -
( a ) any infected aircraft or suspected aircraft; 
( b ) any aircraft on which there is a case of typhus or
relapsing fever;
( c ) any aircraft which has during its voyage been in an
area infected with plague, cholera or yellow fever;
( d ) any suspect for smallpox on an aircraft other than an
infected aircraft;
( e ) any person on any aircraft who has come from an area
infected with typhus or relapsing fever;
( f ) any other aircraft or person, when the medical officer
is satisfied that, notwithstanding that measures
equivalent to the additional measures have been
applied to the aircraft or person previously during its
voyage, there is on board or has been on board since
such previous application an infected person or
suspect and that it is necessary again to apply any such
measure, or the medical officer has evidence that such
previous application was not substantially effective.
Avoidance of 
delay.
23. In applying any measures pursuant to these Regulations,
the medical officer shall have regard to the need for freeing aircraft
from control under these Regulations as quickly as possible.
Aircraft alighting 
elsewhere than at 
customs airport.
24. (1) Where an aircraft alights elsewhere than at a customs
airport -
( a ) the commander shall forthwith give notice to that
effect to the responsible authority or a customs officer
or an immigration officer or a police officer and, if the
aircraft has alighted at an aerodrome, to the person in
charge thereof;
( b ) save for the purpose of paragraph ( a ), no person
carried by the aircraft shall leave its vicinity unless
authorised so to do by the medical officer, and any
person so authorised shall inform such officer of his
name and the address of his intended destination, but
this paragraph shall not be construed as dispensing
with the necessity to secure any consent arising under
any other enactment, including any instrument having
statutory effect;
( c ) subject as aforesaid, these Regulations shall apply,
with any necessary modifications, in relation to the
aircraft, the persons carried thereon, and its stores,
equipment and cargo, to the extent to which they are
PUBLIC HEALTH ON AIRCRAFT [ S.L.36.16 9
not required by a police officer or customs officer to
proceed or, as the case may be, to be taken to a
customs airport, as if the aircraft had alighted at a
customs airport and for the purposes of such
application the list of infected areas kept pursuant to
regulation 5 shall be any list so kept by the medical
officer or the responsible authority or, if there is no
such list, any list so kept by the medical officer for the
customs airport nearest to the place where the aircraft
has alighted.
(2) If any person who has informed an officer pursuant to this
regulation of the address of his intended destination arrives within
fourteen days thereafter at some other address, he shall forthwith
send particulars of that address to the medical officer of health of
the responsible authority for the place at which he left the aircraft.
Saving for certain 
aircraft, etc.
25. In the case of an aircraft which has commenced its voyage
at a place within the excepted area and has not during its voyage
alighted at any place outside that area -
( a ) the commander shall not be bound to comply with the
provisions of regulation 10, regulation 12(1) or
regulation 24(1)( a ) unless he has been notified by the
medical officer that compliance with those provisions
is necessary on account of danger to public health;
( b ) no person carried by the aircraft shall be bound by
regulation 24(1)( b ) or ( c ) unless he has been notified
by the medical officer that the said provisions apply to
him on account of danger to public health;
( c ) the powers and duties conferred or imposed on the
medical officer by regulation 6, regulation 7(1) and
(2), regulation 8, regulation 13(1), regulation 17(2),
and regulations 19, 20, 21 and 22 shall not be
exercised or performed unless the medical officer is
satisfied or the Minister responsible for Health has
directed, that the exercise of the powers or the
performance of the duties conferred or imposed by
those provisions is necessary on account of danger to
public health;
( d ) the duties imposed on a customs officer by regulation
15 shall not be performed unless the medical officer
has notified the customs officer that performance of
those duties is necessary on account of danger to
public health.
PART IV 
OUTGOING AIRCRAFT
Examination, etc., 
of persons 
proposing to 
embark.
26. Where an aircraft is due to depart from an aerodrome for a
destination outside Malta, the medical officer -
( a ) may examine any person who proposes to embark
thereon if he has reasonable grounds for believing him
to be suffering from a quarantinable disease, and if
10 [ S.L.36.16 PUBLIC HEALTH ON AIRCRAFT
after examination the medical officer is of opinion that
he shows symptoms of such a disease, shall prohibit
his embarkation;
( b ) shall prohibit any suspect from embarking thereon:
Provided that, in the case of smallpox, a person
shall not be prohibited from embarkation if he satisfies
the medical officer that he is sufficiently protected by
vaccination or by a previous attack of smallpox;
( c ) shall notify the commander of any person embarking
or proposing to continue his voyage thereon who, in
the opinion of the medical officer, should be placed
under surveillance.
Compliance with 
requirement made 
by Chief 
Government 
Medical Officer.
27. Where the Minister responsible for Health has, by notice
published in the Government Gazette, declared any place to be
infected with a quarantinable disease, or with any other disease
which in his opinion constitutes a menace to other countries by
reason of its spread or potential spread, then, until the notice is
revoked by a subsequent notice published in the Government
Gazette, every medical officer shall comply with any requirement
which may be made by the Chief Government Medical Officer for
preventing the spread of the disease, and in particular (but without
prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions) the
following provisions of this regulation shall operate in relation to
any aircraft departing from any aerodrome specified by the Chief
Government Medical Officer for a destination outside Malta:
( a ) the medical officer may, and within three hours after
receiving a request from the commander so to do shall,
medically examine any person who proposes to
embark on or is on board the aircraft;
( b ) the medical officer may require any part of the aircraft
which in his opinion may be infected to be cleansed
and disinfected to his satisfaction;
( c ) an authorised officer shall inspect any clothing,
bedding or other article which is on, or is intended to
be taken by any person on, the aircraft and which, in
the opinion of the officer, may have been exposed to
infection and may require the disinfection or
destruction of any such clothing, bedding or article,
and the commander shall disclose to the authorised
officer any relevant circumstances;
( d ) no person shall take or cause to be taken on board the
aircraft any article which, in the opinion of an
authorised officer, is capable of carrying infection,
unless that officer is satisfied that it has been
efficiently disinfected and, where necessary,
disinsected;
( e ) if the aerodrome is situated in an area which is
included in such notice in the Government Gazette as
aforesaid and is therein declared to be infected with
plague, and if there is reason to believe that there are
PUBLIC HEALTH ON AIRCRAFT [ S.L.36.16 11
rodents on the aircraft, the medical officer may and if
so required by the Chief Government Medical Officer
shall, take steps to secure the deratting of the aircraft.
PART V 
MISCELLANEOUS
Compliance with 
directions, etc., 
under the 
regulations.
28. Every person to whom these Regulations apply shall
comply with every direction, requirement or condition given, made
or imposed by an authorised officer or customs officer pursuant to
these Regulations, and shall furnish all such information as any
such officer may reasonably require (including information as to
his name, destination, and address to which he is going on leaving
an aerodrome); and every person who has for the time being the
custody or charge of a child or other person who is under disability
shall comply with any direction, requirement or condition so given,
made or imposed, and shall furnish all such information as
aforesaid, in respect of such child or other person.
Surveillance. 
place a person under surveillance, the period of such surveillance
shall not exceed such of the following periods as may be
appropriate:
( a ) in respect of plague, six days; 
( b ) in respect of cholera, five days;
( c ) in respect of yellow fever, six days; 
( d ) in respect of smallpox, fourteen days; 
( e ) in respect of typhus, fourteen days; 
( f ) in respect of relapsing fever, eight days.
(2) When a person has been so placed under surveillance for
plague, cholera or smallpox pursuant to regulation 19 by reason of
his having come from an infected area, the period shall be reckoned
from the date of his leaving the infected area.
(3) When a person has been so placed under surveillance
pursuant to the additional measures, the period shall be reckoned in
the manner therein specified.
Person under 
surveillance.
30. Every person who is placed under surveillance pursuant to
these Regulations shall -
( a ) give facilities for any medical examination required by
the medical officer or by the medical officer of health
for any area in which he may be during the period of
surveillance;
( b ) furnish all such information as the medical officer or
any such medical officer of health may reasonably
require with a view to ascertaining the person’s state
of health;
( c ) forthwith upon arrival during the period of
surveillance at any address other than the one stated as
his intended destination on leaving the aerodrome at
which he arrived in Malta send particulars of that
12 [ S.L.36.16 PUBLIC HEALTH ON AIRCRAFT
address to the medical officer;
( d ) if so instructed by the medical officer, report
immediately to the medical officer of health for any
area in which he may be during the period of
surveillance, and thereafter during that period report to
that officer at such intervals as he may require:
Provided that an instruction shall not be given
under this paragraph unless the Chief Government
Medical Officer has by direction (whether general or
special) authorised the giving of instructions
thereunder.
Measures for 
prohibiting spread 
of infection.
Amended by:
XIII. 1983.5.
31. (1) Where the commander of an aircraft is required by or
pursuant to these Regulations to carry out any measures with a
view to reducing the danger or preventing the spread of infection,
the responsible authority may themselves at the request of the
commander, and, if they think fit, at his cost, cause any such
requirement to be complied with instead of enforcing the
requirement against the commander.
(2) The amount of the charge for any work so to be undertaken
by the responsible authority shall be such reasonable sum as
represents the actual or estimated cost to be incurred in undertaking
the work excluding any charge or claim in respect of profits so
however that it shall not exceed the sum of fifty liri unless notice of
the proposed charge has been given to the commander before the
work is undertaken.
(3) Where under this regulation the responsible authority cause
any requirement to be complied with at the cost of the commander,
they may, if they think fit, require the amount of the charge for the
work or a part thereof to be paid to or deposited with them before
the work is undertaken.
(4) Where pursuant to these Regulations, any measures have
been taken with regard to an aircraft, the responsible authority or
the medical officer shall, on request by the commander, furnish him
free of charge with particulars in writing of those measures and the
reasons why they were taken.
(5) Where, pursuant to these Regulations, any measures have
been taken with regard to any person or to any articles in his
possession, the medical officer shall, on request by such person,
furnish him free of charge with particulars in writing of those
measures, including the date on which they were taken.
Recovery of 
charges.
32. Every charge authorised by regulation 31 shall be
recoverable summarily as a civil debt in any court of competent
jurisdiction.
Expenses of health 
authorities.
33. Subject to the provisions of regulation 31 any expenses
incurred by a responsible authority in the enforcement and
execution of these Regulations shall be defrayed in the same
manner as the expenses incurred by them in the execution and
discharge of their existing powers and duties.
Saving for mails. 34. Except to the extent permitted by Part II-C of the Second
PUBLIC HEALTH ON AIRCRAFT [ S.L.36.16 13
Schedule to these Regulations with respect to fish, shellfish, fruit,
vegetables and beverages, nothing in these Regulations shall render
liable to detention, disinfection or destruction any article forming
part of any mail conveyed under the authority of the Postmaster
General, or of the postal administration of any other government, or
shall prejudicially affect the receipt on board and delivery in due
course at the place of destination of any such mail.
Saving for aircraft 
unwilling to 
comply with 
regulations.
35. (1) The commander of an aircraft on arrival or already at
an aerodrome, who is unwilling to comply with or submit to any
provision of or requirement made under these Regulations which
may be applicable, shall so notify the medical officer. The medical
officer may then require the commander to remove the aircraft
immediately from the aerodrome.
(2) If before leaving the aerodrome the commander wishes to
discharge cargo or disembark passengers or to take on board fuel,
water or stores, the medical officer shall permit him to do so but
may impose such conditions pursuant to these Regulations as the
medical officer considers necessary.
(3) When the medical officer has so required the removal of an
aircraft from the aerodrome, it shall not during its voyage alight at
any other place in Malta.
General.
any person other than a duly authorised person attached to an
aerodrome to enter or come in contact with any person from an
aircraft., before the port medical officer or his representative has
declared such aircraft and passengers and crew of the same to be in
free pratique:
Provided that it shall not be an offence for a person coming
in contact with any passenger or crew of an aircraft which on
account of an accident or otherwise has been forced to land at such
place which is not an authorised aerodrome, for the sole purpose of
rendering to such passenger or crew the necessary assistance.
14 [ S.L.36.16 PUBLIC HEALTH ON AIRCRAFT
FIRST SCHEDULE
Information required to be included in the Aircraft Declaration 
of Health.
( a ) Details of any illness suspected of being of an infectious
nature, which has occurred on board the aircraft during its voyage.
( b ) Details of any other condition on board the aircraft during
its voyage, which may lead to the spread of disease.
( c ) Details of every disinsecting or sanitary treatment (place,
date, time and method used) applied to the aircraft during its
voyage: if there has not been any such disinsecting or treatment,
details of the last disinsecting or treatment.
SECOND SCHEDULE
Additional Measures with respect to the Quarantinable 
Diseases
PART I - PLAGUE
A. Infected aircraft
(1) The medical officer may -
( a ) require any suspect on board to be disinsected
and place him under surveillance or under
observation at such place as the Chief
Government Medical Officer shall determine,
the period of surveillance being reckoned from
the date of arrival of the aircraft;
( b ) require the disinsecting and, if necessary,
disinfection of the baggage of any infected
person or suspect, and of any other article on
board and any part of the aircraft which the
medical officer considers to be contaminated.
(2) If the aircraft is infected because a plague infected
rodent is found on board, the medical officer shall require the
aircraft to be deratted in a manner to be determined by him.
B. Aircraft which have been in infected areas
(3) The medical officer may place under surveillance or
observation, as aforesaid, any suspect who disembarks, the period
of surveillance or observation being reckoned from the date of the
departure of the aircraft from the infected area.
PART II - CHOLERA
A. Infected aircraft and suspected aircraft
(1) The medical officer may -
( a ) place under surveillance or observation as
aforesaid any person who disembarks, the period
of surveillance or observation being reckoned
PUBLIC HEALTH ON AIRCRAFT [ S.L.36.16 15
from the date of arrival of the aircraft;
( b ) require the disinfection of the baggage of any
infected person or suspect, and of any other
article on board and any part of the aircraft
which the medical officer considers to be
contaminated;
( c ) require the disinfection and removal of any
water on board which he considers to be
contaminated, and the disinfection of the
containers which have held such water.
(2) The medical officer shall prohibit the discharge or
unloading from the aircraft of human dejecta and any other waste
matter or water, which may be contaminated and has not been
disinfected.
B. Aircraft which have been in infected areas
(3) The medical officer may place under surveillance or
observation as aforesaid any person who disembarks, the period of
surveillance or observation being reckoned from the date of the
departure of the aircraft from the infected area.
C. Infected aircraft, suspected aircraft, and aircraft which
have been in infected areas.
(4) In addition to any measure permitted or required by
the preceding provisions in this Part, the medical officer may
prohibit the unloading of, or may remove from the aircraft, any
fish, shellfish, fruit or vegetables to be eaten uncoooked, or
beverages, not forming part of cargo in a freight compartment of
the aircraft, which he considers to be contaminated, and, if any
such food or beverage is so removed, he shall arrange for its safe
disposal in consultation with the customs officer.
(5) If any of the said food or beverage forms part of
cargo in a freight compartment of the aircraft and is so
contaminated, the medical officer for the aerodrome at which such
cargo is due to be discharged shall arrange for its safe disposal in
consultation with the customs officer.
PART III - YELLOW FEVER
Infected aircraft and aircraft which have been in infected areas
The medical officer may require the aircraft to be disinsected for
the destruction of vectors of yellow fever which may be on board
and may require any passenger on such aircraft to be placed under
surveillance or observation as aforesaid for such period as he shall
determine.
PART IV - SMALLPOX
A. Infected aircraft
(1) The medical officer shall offer vaccination to any
person on board who, he considers, is not sufficiently protected
against smallpox.
16 [ S.L.36.16 PUBLIC HEALTH ON AIRCRAFT
(2) The medical officer may either -
( a ) place under surveillance any person who
disembarks, the period of surveillance being
reckoned from the date on which the medical
officer considers the person was last exposed to
infection; or
( b ) if he considers any such person not to be
sufficiently protected against smallpox, isolate
him for a similar period.
(3) The medical officer shall require the disinfection of
the baggage of any infected person, and of any other article on
board and any part of the aircraft which the medical officer
considers to be contaminated.
B. Suspects on other aircraft
(4) The medical officer may also apply the provisions of
paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Part to any suspect who disembarks
from an aircraft which is not an infected aircraft.
PART V - TYPHUS AND RELAPSING FEVER
A. Aircraft with infected persons on board
(1) The medical officer may require -
( a ) any suspect on board to be disinsected;
( b ) the disinsecting and, if necessary, disinfection of
the accommodation occupied by any infected
person or suspect, his clothes and baggage, and
any other article which the medical officer
considers may spread typhus or relapsing fever.
B.  Persons coming from infected areas
(2) The medical officer may require the disinsecting of
any person who has left an infected area not more than fourteen
days before arrival in the case of typhus or eight days before arrival
in the case of relapsing fever.
(3) If any person so disinsected is placed under
surveillance, the period of surveillance or observation shall be
reckoned from the date of disinsecting.
