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Ex. DUT-MD-002 Standing duty Primary source read

Statute

Duty of county health officer to investigate and act immediately to prevent the spread of infectious or contagious disease

Maryland General Assembly (Health-General Article, Title 18, Subtitle 2) · Maryland (State)

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The record

Jurisdiction
Maryland
Level
State
Authority
Md. Const. art. III; police power of the State
Effective
in force throughout 2020 Q2 to 2021 Q3
End
standing (read as 2021-09-30)
In force
Standing (a statutory duty; in force throughout the six quarters)
Quarters
2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q12021 Q22021 Q3
Limitation types
Business closureWorkplace rulesStanding duty
Addressees
  • county health officers and boards of health; through their orders, businesses, facilities and persons in the county
Character
statutory duty
Collection
Standing duties: Maryland DUT-MD

Operative words

(b) When a health officer is notified of an infectious or contagious disease within the county, the health officer: (1) Shall act immediately to prevent the spread of the disease; (2) Within 24 hours after receiving notice of the disease, shall give the Secretary all information obtained on the disease; and (3) Shall cooperate with the Secretary to prevent the spread of the disease.

Penalty

Health officer orders issued under Order 20-04-05-02 carried the Governor's misdemeanor penalty (Ex. MD-039 para. IV.b; Pub. Safety § 14-3A-08); COMAR 10.06.01.06C cessation orders

What it required

Commanded every county health officer (and the Baltimore City Commissioner of Health) to act immediately, with the county board of health's approval, to prevent the spread of a disease that endangers public health; the standing footing of the county health officer orders that the Governor's Order 20-04-05-02 made binding on every business (Ex. MD-039).

Retrieval note

Subsection (a)(1): when a health officer 'has reason to believe that a disease that endangers public health exists within the county, the health officer shall... (ii) With the approval of the board: 1. Investigate the suspected disease; and 2. Act properly to prevent the spread of the disease.' Health-Gen. § 3-202 (read live, not saved) makes each county board of health exercise 'the duties imposed by law on a board of health' throughout the county.