The following terms and expressions, wherever mentioned in this Law, shall have the meanings assigned thereto unless the context requires otherwise:

• International Health Regulations: A set of health regulations constituting the international legal framework of the World Health Organization for the purpose of preventing, protecting against, controlling and providing a public health response to the international spread of disease in ways that are commensurate with and restricted to public health risks, and which avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade.

• Regulations: The Implementing Regulations of this Law.

• Competent Authority: The authority responsible for the implementation and application of health measures at ports of entry.

• Affected Area: Any geographical location for which the World Health Organization specifically recommends certain measures to be implemented. 

• Public Health Emergency of International Concern: An extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk through the international spread of disease, and which potentially requires a coordinated international response.

• Quarantine: The restriction of activities and/or separation from others of suspect persons or of suspect baggage, containers, conveyances or goods in such a manner as to prevent the possible spread of infection or contamination.

• Isolation: Separation of ill or contaminated persons or affected baggage, containers, conveyances, goods or postal parcels from others in such a manner as to prevent the spread of infection or contamination.

• Contamination: The presence of an infectious or toxic agent or matter in or on a human or animal body, in or on a product prepared for consumption or on other inanimate objects, including conveyances, that may constitute a public health risk.

• Decontamination: A procedure whereby health measures are taken to eliminate contamination.

• Medical Examination: The preliminary assessment of a person by an authorized health worker or by a person under the direct supervision of the competent authority, to determine the person’s health status and potential public health risk to others, and may include the scrutiny of health documents, and a physical examination when justified by the circumstances of the individual case.

• Under Observation: Observing the health condition of a passenger for a certain period to determine potential risk of infection.

• Inspection: The examination, by the competent authority or under its supervision, of areas, baggage, containers, conveyances, facilities, goods or postal parcels, including relevant data and documentation, to determine if a public health risk exists.

• Conveyance Operator: A natural or corporate person, or agent thereof, responsible for the operation of a conveyance.

• Suspect: Persons, baggage, cargo, containers, conveyances, goods or postal parcels which have been exposed, or possibly exposed, to a public health risk and that could be a possible source of spread of disease.

• Health Declaration: A statement executed by the operator of a conveyance concerning the health condition thereof, including persons therein.

• Free Pratique: Permitting a ship, aircraft or vehicle, upon arrival, to embark or disembark, or discharge or load cargo or stores.

• Quarantined Conveyance: An isolated ship, aircraft or vehicle which cannot be accessed except with the permission of the competent authority and under its supervision.

• Health Measures: Measures applied to prevent the spread of disease, contamination or infection. Such measures do not include law enforcement or security measures.

• International Transit: Movement of persons, baggage, cargo, containers, conveyances, goods or postal parcels through international borders without the intention of entering the Kingdom.

• Vectors and Reservoirs: Any insect or other animal which normally carries an infectious agent that constitutes a potential public health risk.

The Ministry of Health (National Contact Center) shall be the authority responsible for the coordination of matters relating to this Law with the World Health Organization through the contact point concerned with the International Health Regulations.

The competent authority shall take necessary precautions with every conveyance arriving in the Kingdom if there are clinical signs, symptoms or information based on facts or data indicating a potential public health risk, including sources of infection, contamination or otherwise, on board any conveyance deemed affected.

Without prejudice to any laws or international treaties to which the Kingdom is party, every ship anchored in Saudi ports shall implement necessary measures as the competent authority may deem fit to prevent contamination of water by means of wastewater, waste or any other contaminated matter.

The competent authority shall implement at ports of entry the necessary procedures to combat vectors and reservoirs.

A shipmaster shall conduct periodic deratting and disinsection and shall hold a valid health certificate to this effect, unless granted a Ship Sanitation Control Exemption Certificate. If neither certificate is available, the competent authority may carry out the deratting or disinsection of the ship or have this procedure carried out under its supervision and control following applicable technical methods as provided for in the Implementing Regulations of this Law.

An operator of a conveyance arriving at a Saudi port of entry shall, upon arrival and departure, comply with health procedures provided for in the Implementing Regulations of this Law.

An operator of a conveyance arriving at a Saudi port of entry shall provide the competent authority with required health information in accordance with the International Health Regulations, using the form provided for in the Implementing Regulations of this Law.

The competent authority at all ports of entry may, in coordination with the Customs Authority and other relevant agencies, inspect various conveyances and subject any suspect person to medical examination upon arrival to the Kingdom.

The competent authority may, if necessary, conduct health investigations of any ship in the port. It may also conduct health investigations if the ship in question comes from a port of an affected area or travels through such a port during its journey. If a period of more than four weeks has elapsed since the beginning of such journey, the data relating to the last four weeks shall suffice.