印度爲了對抗新冠疫情，啓用一條123年前的法律

Colonial-era laws are usually outdated pieces of legislation, often out of tune with current realities. But India has fallen back on using a 123-year-old British colonial-era law, first implemented in 1897 to control the spread of bubonic plague, to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

殖民時期的法律一般都是過時的，不適合現代社會。但印度重啓了123年前的英國殖民時期的法律來控制新冠病毒的傳播，這部法律最初在1897年頒佈時是爲了控制黑死病的傳播。

The government has asked states to enforce the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 to help the authorities stem the outbreak of Covid-19 in India and better implement various health advisories.

印度政府要求各邦強制執行1897年的《流行病法案》，來幫助當局遏制新冠病毒在該國的傳播，以及更好地實施各種健康建議。

The Act gives authorities wide powers to curb the spread of "dangerous epidemic diseases", including setting up containment areas and preventing people from entering or leaving containment facilities.

該法案賦予當局廣泛的權利來控制“危險流行病”的傳播，其中包括建立隔離區，禁止人們進入或離開防護設施。

"This (Act) is being invoked to ensure that no one can flee without completing treatment (in quarantine facilities). We will use it in the interest of public health and safety," West Bengal chief minister Mamata Bannerjee told reporters on March 17.

西孟加拉邦首席部長瑪瑪塔·班納吉在3月17日對記者說：“我們正在執行該法案來確保沒有人能在（隔離設施裏）未完成治療就離開。我們將利用該法案來使公共健康和安全得到保障。”

It also allows the inspection of people travelling by railway or other modes of transport, and authorises inspection of any ships or vessels.

法案也允許當局對火車或其他交通工具的乘客進行檢查，並授權當局對所有船隻或輪船進行檢查。

It carries a maximum of six months' punishment for a range of violations, including disobeying quarantine orders and creating panic.

法案規定對各種違規行爲，包括不遵守隔離命令和製造恐慌，可處以最高六個月的刑罰。

India, the world's second most-populous country, has taken strict measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

印度是世界人口第二大國，已經採取了嚴厲的措施來控制疫情發展。

An outbreak would prove disastrous for the country, which has an uneven health infrastructure and a high population density, particularly in urban areas.

對該國來說疫情爆發是災難性的，該國基礎衛生設施分佈不均，人口密度高，城市內尤爲嚴重。

翻譯：菲菲