Provision and maintenance of isolation hospitals and wards

(1) (a) The local authority may, and if so required by Government, shall, provide or cause to be provided, hospitals, wards or other places for the reception and treatment of persons suffering from infectious disease; (b) for the purpose of the reception and treatment of such persons a local authority may,- (i) itself build such hospitals, wards or places of reception, or (ii) contract for the use of any such hospital or part of a hospital or place of reception,