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