Revised list of quarantinable communicable diseases

This executive order updates the official list of quarantinable communicable diseases under federal quarantine authority, replacing three prior executive orders. It specifies seven disease categories—including cholera, diphtheria, tuberculosis, plague, smallpox, yellow fever, and viral hemorrhagic fevers—as grounds for federal apprehension, detention, or conditional release of individuals to prevent disease spread.

48 FR 56927

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Impact dates

Dec 22, 1983
EO takes effect; prior EOs revoked

Key directives

Specify cholera/suspected cholera as quarantinable
Specify diphtheria as quarantinable
Specify infectious tuberculosis as quarantinable
Specify plague as quarantinable
Specify suspected smallpox as quarantinable
Specify yellow fever as quarantinable
Specify suspected viral hemorrhagic fevers (Lassa, Marburg, Ebola, Congo-Crimean, others) as quarantinable
Revoke EO 9708 (1946)
Revoke EO 10532 (1954)
Revoke EO 11070 (1962)

Timeline

Immediate

Revocation of three prior executive orders (EO 9708, 10532, 11070)
New quarantinable disease list takes effect

Near term (90d)

HHS/CDC to update implementing regulations to reflect revised disease list

Long term

Ongoing federal quarantine and isolation authority based on specified diseases
Potential future updates as new diseases emerge

Risks & tensions

Vague catch-all 'others not yet isolated or named' for viral hemorrhagic fevers grants broad discretionary authority to executive branch
No explicit due process procedures specified in EO text for apprehension/detention
Delegation to HHS regulations leaves operational details undefined in order itself
Potential tension between public health powers and civil liberties, though not explicitly addressed