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May 26, 1955

Note: The Agreement entered into force, October I, 1955, and with respect to the Philippines, on the same date.

Reference: This Agreement is also published in 252 UNTS, p. 338.

The Eighth World Health Assembly,

Considering the need for the amendment of certain of the provisions of the International Sanitary Regulations (World Health Organization Regulations No. 2), as adopted by the Fourth World Health Assembly on 25 May 1951, in particular with respect to yellow fever,

Having regard to Articles 2(k), 21(a) and 22 of the Constitution of the World Health Organization,

Adopts, this twenty sixth day of May 1955, the following Additional Regulations:

ARTICLE I

In Articles 1 to 104 of the International Sanitary Regulations, there shall be made the following amendments:

Article 1

"Aedes aegypti index"

Delete this definition and replace by:

"Aedes aegypti index" means the ratio, expressed as a percentage between the number of houses in a limited well-defined area on the premises of which actual breeding places of Aedes aegypti are found, and the total number of houses examined in that area;"

"epidemic"

Delete the words "or multiplication of a foyer", and replace by the words "of a quarantinable disease by a multiplication of Cases in a local area".

"first case"

Delete this definition.

"foyer"

Delete this definition.

"infected local area"

In paragraph (a) delete the word "foyer", and replace by the words "non-imported case".

Renumber paragraph (c) as paragraph (b).

Insert as paragraph (c): "(c) a local area where activity of yellow-fever virus is found in vertebrates other than man; or".

Renumber paragraph (b) as paragraph (d).

Delete paragraph (d).

"yellow-fever endemic zone"

Delete this definition.

"yellow-fever receptive area"

Delete this definition and replace by:

"yellow-fever receptive area" means an area in which the virus of yellow fever does not exist but where the presence of “Aedes aegypti or any other domiciliary or peri-domiciliary veetor of yellow fever would permit its development if introduced;"

Article 3

In paragraph 2 of this article, after the words "The existence of the disease so notified", insert the words "on the establishment of a reasonably certain clinical diagnosis".

Article 6

In paragraph 1 of this article, after the words "infected local area", delete the comma and the words "other than a local area which is part of a yellow-fever endemic zone" and the comma which follows the word "zone".

After the words "is situated shall" delete the word "inform" and replace by the word "notify".

Delete sub-paragraph (b) of paragraph 2 and replace by:

"(b) (i) in the case of yellow fever not transmitted by Aedes aegypti, three months have elapsed without evidence of activity of yellow-fever virus;

"(ii) in the case of yellow-fever transmitted by Aedes aegypti, three months have elapsed since the occurrence of the last human case, or one month since that occurrence if the Aedes aegypti index has been continuously maintained below one per cent."

Article 14

(The English text remains unchanged.)

Article 20

In paragraph 1 of this article, after the words "Every port", delete the words "situated in a yellow-fever endemic zone or a yellow-fever receptive area,". After the words "every airport" delete the words "so situated,".

In paragraph 2 of this article, after the words "situated in", delete the words "a yellow-fever endemic zone", and replace by the words "or adjacent to a yellow-fever infected local area,";

After the words "receptive areas shall be" insert the word "kept".

Delete paragraph 3 of this article.

Renumber paragraph 4 of this article as paragraph 3.

Article 42

Delete the words "merely because, on its voyage over infected territory", and replace by the word "if".

After the words "it has landed" insert the words "only in such an area".

Article 43

After the words "on board" delete the word "an" and replace by the words "a healthy".

Delete the words "which has flown over", and replace by the words "which has landed in".

Delete the words "but has not landed there, or has landed there under", and replace by the words "and the passengers and crew of which have complied with".

Article 70

Delete this article and replace by:

"Each health administration shall notify the Organization of the area or areas within its territory where the conditions of a yellow-fever receptive area exist, and promptly report any change in these conditions. The Organization shall transmit this information to all health administrations."

Article 73

In paragraph 3 of this article, after the word "Every", insert the words "ship or".

Delete words "local area", and replace by the words "port or airport".

Delete the words "or any other domiciliary vector of yellow fever exists, which is bound for a yellow-fever receptive area already freed from Aedes aegypti", and replace by the words "still exists, bound for a port or airport where Aedes aegypti has been eradicated,".

Article 75

At the end of paragraph 1 of this article, insert the words "during the period provided for in Article 74".

Article 96

In paragraph 1 of this article, delete the words "a ship", and replace by the words "a seagoing vessel making an international voyage".

Article 104

In paragraph 1 of this article, delete the words "make the sanitary measures provided for in these Regulations more effective and less burdensome," and replace by the words "facilitate the application of these Regulations,".

ARTICLE II

The period provided in execution of Article 22 of the Constitution of the Organization for rejection or reservation shall be nine months from the date of the notification by the Director-General of the adoption of these Additional Regulations by the World Health Assembly.

ARTICLE III

These Additional Regulations shall come into force on the first day of October 1956.

ARTICLE IV

The following final provisions of the International Sanitary Regulations shall apply to these Additional Regulations: paragraph 3 of Article "106, paragraphs 1, 2 and 5 of 107, 108 and paragraph 2 of 109, substituting the date mentioned in Article III of these Additional Regulations for that mentioned therein, 110 to 113 inclusive.

IN FAITH WHEREOF we have set our hands at Mexico this 26th day of May 1955.

IGNACIO MORONES PRIETO
The President of the World Health Assembly
MARCOLINO GOMES CANDAU
The Director-General of the World Health Organization