"Bioterrorism" and "Public Health Emergency" Defined

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  5. "Bioterrorism" and "Public Health Emergency" Defined

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As used in this chapter, the term:

  1. "Bioterrorism" means the intentional creation or use of any microorganism, virus, infectious substance, or any component thereof, whether naturally occurring or bioengineered, to cause death, illness, disease, or other biological malfunction in a human, animal, plant, or other living organism in order improperly or illegally to influence the conduct of government, to interfere with or disrupt commerce, or to intimidate or coerce a civilian population.
  2. "Public health emergency" means the occurrence or imminent threat of an illness or health condition that is reasonably believed to be caused by bioterrorism or the appearance of a novel or previously controlled or eradicated infectious agent or biological toxin and poses a high probability of any of the following harms:
    1. A large number of deaths in the affected population;
    2. A large number of serious or long-term disabilities in the affected population; or
    3. Widespread exposure to an infectious or toxic agent that poses a significant risk of substantial future harm to a large number of people in the affected population.

(Code 1981, §31-12-1.1, enacted by Ga. L. 2002, p. 1386, § 5.)

Cross references.

- Sedition and subversive activities, T. 16, C. 11, A. 1, P. 2.

War on terrorism local assistance, T. 36, C. 75.


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