Gov. Malloy Signs Order Declaring Public Health Emergency Regarding Ebola
Posted 10:46 AM, October 7, 2014, by Katie Harris, Updated at 04:05pm, October 7, 2014
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Tuesday, Oct. 7, Gov. Dannel Malloy signed an order that gives the Commissioner of the Department of Public Health the ability to effectively quarantine an individual or a group of individuals who may have been exposed to or infected with the Ebola virus.
The order is not being executed because a specific case has been identified, but rather as a precautionary and preparatory measure in the event that the state has either a confirmed infection or has confirmed that someone at risk of developing the infection is residing in the state.
“We are taking this action today to ensure that we are prepared, in advance, to deal with any identified cases in which someone has been exposed to the virus or, worst case, infected,” said Governor Malloy. “Our state’s hospitals have been preparing for it, and public health officials from the state are working around the clock to monitor the situation. Right now, we have no reason to think that anyone in the state is infected or at risk of infection. But it is essential to be prepared and we need to have the authorities in place that will allow us to move quickly to protect public health, if and when that becomes necessary. Signing this order will allow us to do that.”
By signing the order, the Governor is declaring a public health emergency, which gives the Commissioner of DPH the authority to quarantine and isolate individuals whom the commissioner reasonably believes has been exposed to the Ebola virus. Without the declaration, there is no statewide ability to isolate or quarantine – instead, the authority rests with each individual local public health director.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) also released a statement encouraging the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee to approve the White House’s request for $1 billion in funding to deal with the growing Ebola crisis.
“One thing we know about stopping pandemics is that time is of the essence. Ebola has taken thousands of lives in West Africa and decimated already weak public health systems in these countries; without immediate help and resources, this epidemic will continue to spread. This is a global threat, and the United States must lead the fight against it. Fear of contagion has led some to call for travel restrictions and further isolation of these countries, but withdrawal is not an option. We know that right now, travel restrictions won’t stop the spread of this disease, and may actually exacerbate the problems these countries face by preventing aid from reaching them. The whole-of-government plan outlined by President Obama—marshalling our military, health care, diplomatic, and economic resources to fight this epidemic—is exactly the right use of American power, and Congress should approve it without delay. Oversight by congressional defense committees must not hinder U.S. leadership in the fight against this public health nightmare.”
For more stories on Ebola click here.
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