Quarantine

The quarantine [ ː nə karantɛ ] (Italian Quarantina di giorni, French quarantaine de jours, " the Forty Days" ) is the temporary isolation of people or animals that are suspected of suffering from certain infectious diseases or to be carriers of these diseases. When importing animals, the quarantine is also provided preventively in the import regulations of the country to the exclusion of disease spread. The duration of the quarantine depends on the incubation time of the suspected disease.

The quarantine is a very expensive, but also very effective epidemic hygienic measure, which must be applied particularly for highly contagious diseases with high mortality.

Based on this analogy, the term is also used in the IT industry to keep malicious software ( such as Trojan, virus and worm programs ) in a specially insulated, usually encrypted area. In the 19th century, was also a common word for quarantine contumacy (Latin contumacia, dt defiance, pride, stubbornness, inflexibility ).

Provisions in Germany

In Germany danger mitigating legal quarantine regulations in the Infection Protection Act, § 30 are regulated. The local regulations state that in the control of certain diseases specific segregation measures can be taken and must. This can be done even against the will of the patients. Currently, only the plague and hemorrhagic fever are subject to quarantine, but also in diseases such as cholera or multi-resistant germs come isolation measures used. Only the treating physicians and counselors must have access to a sick, other people can medically be allowed or denied access.

History

In order to protect their city from plague, decided in July 1377 the Government of the Republic of Dubrovnik that all incoming travelers and merchants isolated for forty days, must be in a purpose-built hospitals before entering the city. From this scheme, the term quarantine deduced in the present meaning.

1383 was the first time in Marseille quarantine of incoming ships imposed in order to protect themselves even before the plague, which was raging at that time in Europe. Another source says that officials from Venice in 1374 to quarantine introduced. Crew and goods were first isolated on the island of Lazzaretto Nuovo and were allowed only after thirty, after forty days later on land.

Quarantine measures have protected Australia in 1918 before passage of the Spanish flu.

When smallpox outbreaks drastic isolation measures were not taken in Germany in the 1960s. The persons concerned were partially isolated without medical care in schools and the had to support themselves.