Legislation designed to introduce a more flexible and responsive approach to global communicable disease was today passed in the Senate yesterday.

The Quarantine Amendment Act 2017 and Quarantine (Maritime and Air) Regulations 2017 were supported by Government, Opposition and independent senators.

Senator Crystal Caesar, the Junior Minister of Home Affairs, said the amendment and regulations would “provide the guidance for enforcement of the security structure and ensure our ports and airports create the first line of defence from global public health threats.

“As a whole the Act and Regulatios will modernise and strengthen our response to international public health threats.”

She added that the amendment would also change the Public Health Act 1949 to allow the health minister to establish temporary isolation hospitals or clinics for persons with a communicable disease and will not require proof of an “epidemic”.

Ms Caesar added: “The new regulations will streamline the procedures required at both the airport and ports, provide the key structure to the security, ensure the roles of health officers are outlined and the rights and responsibilities of travellers are enshrined in law.

“They will allow health officers to stop the disembarking of passengers and crew from a ship or aircraft as did the 1946 Regulations.

“However, in the new regulations health officers will only have this ability where a public health threat has been reported on board, a death was reported or the conveyance is coming from an affected country.”

Opposition senator Andrew Simons said he supported the legislation, pointing to the spread of the Zika virus in South America.

He added that it is important to “quarantine legislation right and it’s good to see we are following best practice”.

Independent senator James Jardine said the “regulations are extremely important”.

He said he did not realise how widespread the Zika virus was and added that protecting Bermuda’s borders is “extremely important because a mosquito could come in a ship’s hold, in a container, it could come in on an aircraft as long as it is not subjected to the cold in the hold.”

Mr Jardine also questioned if specific areas had been set aside at the airport or other ports in case someone needs to be quarantined.

Ms Caesar responded that there will be a quarantine area at the new airport and space had also been identified in the hospital.

Four further Acts that updated and made changes to existing legislation were also passed today.

These included the Companies Amendment (No 2) 2017; Payroll Tax Amendment (No 3) Act; USA Bermuda Tax Convention (No 3) Amendment Act 2017; and Proceeds of Crime Amendment (No 2) Act 2017.