135.140 - DEFINITIONS.
135.140 DEFINITIONS.
As used in this division, unless the context otherwise requires:
1. "Bioterrorism" means the intentional use of any
microorganism, virus, infectious substance, or biological product
that may be engineered as a result of biotechnology, or any naturally
occurring or bioengineered component of any such microorganism,
virus, infectious substance, or biological product, to cause death,
disease, or other biological malfunction in a human, an animal, a
plant, or another living organism.
2. "Department" means the Iowa department of public health.
3. "Director" means the director of public health or the
director's designee.
4. "Disaster" means disaster as defined in section 29C.2.
5. "Division" means the division of acute disease prevention
and emergency response of the department.
6. "Public health disaster" means a state of disaster
emergency proclaimed by the governor in consultation with the
department pursuant to section 29C.6 for a disaster which
specifically involves an imminent threat of an illness or health
condition that meets any of the following conditions of paragraphs
"a" and "b":
a. Is reasonably believed to be caused by any of the
following:
(1) Bioterrorism or other act of terrorism.
(2) The appearance of a novel or previously controlled or
eradicated infectious agent or biological toxin.
(3) A chemical attack or accidental release.
(4) An intentional or accidental release of radioactive material.
(5) A nuclear or radiological attack or accident.
(6) A natural occurrence or incident, including but not limited
to fire, flood, storm, drought, earthquake, tornado, or windstorm.
(7) A man-made occurrence or incident, including but not limited
to an attack, spill, or explosion.
b. Poses a high probability of any of the following:
(1) A large number of deaths in the affected population.
(2) A large number of serious or long-term disabilities in the
affected population.
(3) Widespread exposure to an infectious or toxic agent that
poses a significant risk of substantial future harm to a large number
of the affected population.
(4) Short-term or long-term physical or behavioral health
consequences to a large number of the affected population.
7. "Public health response team" means a team of
professionals, including licensed health care providers, nonmedical
professionals skilled and trained in disaster or emergency response,
and public health practitioners, which is sponsored by a hospital or
other entity and approved by the department to provide disaster
assistance in the event of a disaster or threatened disaster. Section History: Recent Form
2003 Acts, ch 33, §1, 11; 2003 Acts, ch 179, §64; 2005 Acts, ch
89, §6, 7; 2006 Acts, ch 1184, §83; 2009 Acts, ch 37, §4, 5
Referred to in § 29C.6, 135M.1, 135M.3, 135M.4, 139A.2