About biosecurity and communicable diseases
Communicable diseases are diseases that can spread from person to person.
Border measures to reduce the risk of these harmful human diseases entering and leaving Australia include:
- screening ill travellers for symptoms of listed human diseases when they arrive in Australia
- requiring aircraft and vessel operators to report if anyone on board dies or has specific symptoms
- requiring aircraft to be disinsected before they arrive in Australia
- monitoring and controlling exotic mosquito vectors at Australia’s international borders
- requiring that vessels comply with the Ship Sanitation Certificate Scheme
- maintaining public health emergency plans
- working with the international community to improve global health systems and reduce global human biosecurity risks
- ensuring human remains are brought into Australia safely.
Impact
International travellers arriving in Australia can unwittingly bring serious diseases, posing a significant risk of outbreaks.
A strong biosecurity system helps protect us from harmful diseases.
Role of the CDC
We administer the parts of the Biosecurity Act 2015 that relate to human health.
The legislation provides a framework for managing the risks that of communicable human diseases entering Australia.
We also develop policy and guidance on how to apply measures at Australia’s international border.
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry manages these measures for us at Australia’s international air and sea ports.
Related documents
For more information, see:
- Biosecurity Act 2015
- Response guide for exotic mosquito detections at Australian first points of entry
Related topics
Read more about biosecurity and communicable diseases.