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Infectious disease control

Date updated: 30/11/2020
London Port Health Authority operates an emergency out of hours service to report infectious disease and illness on board ships and aircraft when London Gateway or Denton offices are closed. Call the standby officer on 07050 389 861

General

The London Port Health Authority is responsible for controlling infectious disease within its district. Infectious diseases such as food poisoning, SARS, HIV, Tuberculosis and Noroviruses that can be spread by a ship's crew or by passengers or other visitors. Infectious diseases spread from person to person and can, if not dealt with expediently, infect a large number of people very quickly and it is the Authority's responsibility to investigate suspected and confirmed cases of infectious disease.

Ships arriving from outside the UK

The principal legislation applying to ships arriving from outside the UK are the Public Health (Ships) Regulations 1979 (as Amended) which reflect the International Health Regulations 2005.

River Thames pleasure craft

For River Thames pleasure craft the majority of infectious disease control work relates to suspected or confirmed cases of food poisoning from the consumption of food contaminated with bacteria such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli and Staphylococcus, or food contaminated by banned food additives and toxic chemicals.