Arizona Gov. Ducey orders self-quarantine for New York visitors
Apr 7, 2020, 2:43 PM | Updated: 5:37 pm
PHOENIX – Gov. Doug Ducey on Tuesday ordered a 14-day self-quarantine for anybody flying into Arizona from coronavirus hot spot New York and two adjacent states with a high number of COVID-19 cases.
The executive order applies to travelers from New York — which has the most COVID-19 cases in the United States — New Jersey and Connecticut.
“Our Department of Health Services will be working with airports to make sure travelers are made aware of these requirements upon arrival,” Ducey said during a press conference.
The order goes into effect Thursday at 12:01 a.m. and will last until the end the state health emergency expires.
Among those exempt from it are airline employees, military personnel, health care workers and employees providing essential governmental functions.
On March 28, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a travel advisory for New York, New Jersey and Connecticut residents to refrain from non-essential travel within the U.S.
The Federal Aviation Administration also released a statement on March 28 issuing considerations for states and localities that implement travel restrictions or quarantine measures related to air travel during the coronavirus outbreak.
According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, New York had more than 138,000 COVID-19 cases and over 5,400 deaths from the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
New Jersey is second in the U.S. with more than 44,000 cases and over 1,200 deaths. Connecticut, which ranks in the lower half of U.S. states by population, was 12th in coronavirus cases with nearly 7,000 and more than 1,200 deaths.
The cases from those three states represented more than 40% of the country’s total of more than 44,000.
Arizona had 2,575 reported cases with 73 deaths as of Tuesday morning.
Ducey has issued 19 executive orders, including four on Tuesday, since declaring a public health emergency over the coronavirus outbreak on March 11.