Is Covid-19 an epidemic or a disaster?

Last updated on Jun 16, 2022

Covid-19 is a widespread epidemic, and also a declared disaster in India. The Government has the power to1 take measures and prescribe regulations to:

  • Prevent the spread of a dangerous epidemic disease like Covid-19.
  • Inspect any ship or vessel leaving or arriving in any port.
  • Detain any person planning to leave or arrive in India.

The Government also declared Covid-19 as a “Notified Disaster” under the law on disaster management, which plays in role in(( Section 2(3), Disaster Management Act, 2005)):

  • Preventing any danger or threat of any disaster
  • Mitigating or reducing the risk of any disaster, its severity or consequences
  • Capacity-building and preparedness to deal with any disaster
  • Providing a prompt response to any threatening disaster situation 
  • Assessing the severity or magnitude of effects of any disaster.

 

  1. Section 2, Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 []

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