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  2020-03-11

  March 11, 2020: Arizona Declaration of Emergency by Gov Doug Ducey

  Declaration of Emergency - COVID-19 WHEREAS, the World Health Organization declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020, the United States Department of Health and Human Services declared a Public Health Emergency related to the COVID-19 outbreak on January 31, 2020, and the World Health Organization officially declared a pandemic due to COVID-19 on March 11, 2020; and WHEREAS, globally there are 124,908 total confirmed cases and 4,591 total deaths to-date related to COVID-19, and the situation is rapidly evolving with person-to-person transmission and continued community transmission; and WHEREAS, COVID-19 was first discovered in Wuhan, China, and is known to cause respiratory illness, which can result in severe disease complications and death; and WHEREAS, Arizona is proactively leading on the COVID-19 response in the United States, as the third of 39 states that have confirmed cases of COVID-19; and WHEREAS, the Arizona Department of Health Services and local public health departments have identified 9 cases of CO VID-19, including cases spreading in the community, and have additional patients under investigation linked to the global outbreak; and WHEREAS, COVID-19 poses a serious public health threat for infectious disease spread to Arizona residents and visitors if proper precautions recommended by public health are not followed; and WHEREAS, the Arizona Department of Health Services in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local public health departments have implemented disease surveillance and testing for confirmed COVID-19 case(s) and patients under investigation; and WHEREAS, in Arizona, public health and health care systems have identified precautions and interventions that can mitigate the spread of COVID-19; and WHEREAS, the Arizona Department of Health Services requires a more robust and integrated response to successfully combat the COVID-19 outbreak; and WHEREAS, the Governor and the Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services have reasonable cause to believe the spread of COVID-19 can lead to severe respiratory illness, disease complications, and death for Arizona residents, particularly those with underlying medical conditions or the elderly; and WHEREAS, it is necessary and appropriate to take action to ensure the spread of COVID-19 is controlled and that the residents of Arizona remain safe and healthy; and WHEREAS, the Governor is authorized to declare an emergency pursuant to A.R.S. § 26-303(D) and in accordance with A.R.S. § 26-301(15). WHEREAS, pursuant to A.R.S. § 26-307(A), a state agency, when designated by the Governor, may make, amend and rescind orders, rules and regulations necessary for emergency functions; WHEREAS, pursuant to A.R.S. § 36-787(A), during a state of emergency declared by the Governor as a result of an occurrence or imminent threat of illness or health condition caused by an epidemic that poses a substantial risk of a significant number of human fatalities or incidents of permanent or long-term disability, the Arizona Department of Health Services shall coordinate all matters pertaining to the public health emergency response of the State; and WHEREAS, pursuant to A.R.S. § 36-787(B) and (C), during a state of emergency declared by the Governor, the Governor, in consultation with the Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, may issue orders pertaining to the public health emergency response of the State; and WHEREAS, pursuant A.R.S. § § 36-788 and 36-789, during a state of emergency declared by the Governor, the Arizona Department of Health Services, to protect the public health, may establish and maintain places of isolation and quarantine and require the isolation or quarantine of any person who has contracted or been exposed to a highly contagious and fatal disease; WHEREAS, the Legislature has authorized the expenditure of funds in an event of an emergency pursuant to A.R.S. § 35-192; and WHEREAS, Executive Order 2017-06 establishes the Arizona Emergency Response and Recovery Plan to assist in responding to emergencies including public health emergencies; and NOW, THEREFORE I, Douglas A. Ducey, Governor of the State of Arizona, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Laws of the State, do hereby determine that the COVID-19 outbreak presents conditions in Arizona, which are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of any single county, city or town, and which require the combined efforts of the State and the political subdivision, and thus justifies a declaration of a State of Emergency; accordingly, pursuant to A.R.S. §§ 26-303(0) and 36-787, I do hereby: a. Declare that a State of Emergency exists in Arizona due to the COVID-19 outbreak, effective March 11, 2020; and b. Direct that the State of Arizona Emergency Response and Recovery Plan be used, and the Division of Emergency Management to be engaged, as necessary or requested, to assist the Arizona Department of Health Services' coordination of the public health emergency response and authorize the use of state assets as necessary; and c. Authorize the Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services to coordinate all matters pertaining to the public health emergency response of the State in accordance with A.R.S. Title 36, Chapter 6, Article 9; This Emergency Declaration will be eligible for termination upon the resolution of the outbreak as determined by the Arizona Department of Health Services. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal. of the State of Arizona. ATTEST: GOVERNOR (Douglas Ducey) DONE at the Capitol in Phoenix on this 11th day of March in the Year Two Thousand Twenty and of the Independence of the United States of America the Year Two Hundred and Forty-Fourth. ATTEST: Secretary of State (Katie Hobbs)