1. (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.
2. (b) “Catastrophic health emergency” means a situation in which extensive loss of life or serious disability is threatened imminently because of exposure to a deadly agent.

3. (c) “Deadly agent” means:

   1. (1) anthrax, ebola, plague, smallpox, tularemia, or other bacterial, fungal, rickettsial, or viral agent, biological toxin, or other biological agent capable of causing extensive loss of life or serious disability;
   2. (2) mustard gas, nerve gas, or other chemical agent capable of causing extensive loss of life or serious disability; or
   3. (3) radiation at levels capable of causing extensive loss of life or serious disability.

4. (d) “Exposure to a deadly agent” means a threat to human health caused by the release, distribution, or transmission of a deadly agent in:

   1. (1) this State; or
   2. (2) another jurisdiction because of movement into the State of the deadly agent or of individuals exposed to the deadly agent.

5. (e) “Health care provider” means:

   1. (1) a health care facility as defined in § 19-114(d)(1) of the Health--General Article;
   2. (2) a health care practitioner as defined in § 19-114(e) of the Health--General Article; and
   3. (3) an individual licensed or certified as an emergency medical services provider under § 13-516 of the Education Article.
6. (f) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Health.

Added by Acts 2004, c. 26, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2004. Amended by Acts 2006, c. 369, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2006; Acts 2009, c. 60, § 1, eff. April 14, 2009; Acts 2011, c. 230, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2011; Acts 2011, c. 231, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2011; Acts 2017, c. 62, § 6.