Delaware Code
Subchapter V. Public Health Emergencies
§ 3132. Definitions.

The following terms shall have the indicated meanings when used in this subchapter.
(1) “Bioterrorism” is 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 in order to influence the conduct of government or to intimidate or coerce a civilian population.
(2) “Chain of custody” means the methodology of tracking specimens for the purpose of maintaining control and accountability from initial collection to final disposition of the specimens and providing for accountability at each stage of collecting, handling, testing, storing and transporting the specimens and reporting test results.
(3) “Contagious disease” is an infectious disease that can be transmitted from person to person, animal to person, or insect to person.
(4) “Health care provider” means any person or entity who provides health care services, including, but not limited to, hospitals, medical clinics and offices, special care facilities, medical laboratories, physicians, pharmacists, dentists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered and other nurses, paramedics, emergency medical or laboratory technicians, and ambulance and emergency medical workers.
(5) “Infectious disease” is a disease caused by a living organism or other pathogen, including a fungus, bacillus, parasite, protozoan or virus. An infectious disease may or may not be transmissible from person to person, animal to person, or insect to person.
(6) “Infectious waste” means:

a. “Biological waste,” which includes blood and blood products, excretions, exudates, secretions, suctioning and other body fluids, and waste materials saturated with blood or body fluids;
b. “Cultures and stocks,” which includes etiologic agents and associated biologicals, including specimen cultures and dishes and devices used to transfer, inoculate and mix cultures, wastes from production of biologicals and serums, and discarded live and attenuated vaccines;
c. “Pathological waste,” which includes biopsy materials and all human tissues, anatomical parts that emanate from surgery, obstetrical procedures, autopsy and laboratory procedures, and animal carcasses exposed to pathogens in research and the bedding and other waste from such animals, but does not include teeth or formaldehyde or other preservative agents; and
d. “Sharps,” which includes needles, IV tubing with needles attached, scalpel blades, lancets, breakable glass tubes, and syringes that have been removed from their original sterile containers.
(7) “Isolation” is the physical separation and confinement of an individual or group of individuals who are infected or reasonably believed to be infected with a contagious or possibly contagious disease from nonisolated individuals to prevent or limit the transmission of the disease to nonisolated individuals.
(8) “Mental health support personnel” includes, but is not limited to, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and volunteer crisis counseling groups.
(9) “Protected health information” means any information, whether oral, written, electronic, visual, pictorial, physical or any other form, that relates to an individual's past, present or future physical or mental health status, condition, treatment, service, products purchased, or provision of care and that reveals the identity of the individual whose health care is the subject of the information, or about which there is a reasonable basis to believe such information could be utilized (either alone or with other information that is or should reasonably be known to be available to predictable recipients of such information) to reveal the identity of that individual.
(10) “Public health authority” means the Secretary of Health and Social Services or such person as the Secretary may designate with the Governor's consent.
(11) A “public health emergency” is an occurrence or imminent threat of an illness or health condition that:

a. Is believed to be caused by any of the following:

1. Bioterrorism;
2. The appearance of a novel or previously controlled or eradicated infectious agent or biological toxin; or
3. A chemical attack or accidental release;
and
b. Poses a high probability of any of the following harms:

1. A large number of deaths in the affected population;
2. A large number of serious or long-term disabilities in the affected population; or
3. Widespread exposure to an infectious or toxic agent that poses a significant risk of substantial future harm to a large number of people in the affected population.
(12) “Public safety authority” means the Director of the Delaware Emergency Management Agency or such other person as the Governor may designate.
(13) “Quarantine” is the physical separation and confinement of an individual or group of individuals who are or may have been exposed to a contagious or possibly contagious disease and who do not show signs or symptoms of a contagious disease from nonquarantined individuals to prevent or limit the transmission of the disease to nonquarantined individuals.
(14) “Specimens” includes, but is not limited to, blood, sputum, urine, stool, other bodily fluids, wastes, tissues and cultures necessary to perform required tests.
(15) “Tests” includes, but is not limited to, any diagnostic or investigative analyses necessary to prevent the spread of disease or protect the public's health, safety and welfare.