Governor Murphy Signs Executive Order Extending Public Health Emergency in New Jersey
Trenton. The number of positive COVID-19 cases in the state increased by nearly 34 percent between Oct. 24 and Nov. 21. Of the 76,619 new positive cases at least 14,934 people died.
| 24 Nov 2020 | 01:15
Gov. Phil Murphy this week signed Executive Order No. 200. The Order extends the Public Health Emergency that was declared on March 9, 2020 through Executive Order No. 103, which was previously extended on April 7, May 6, June 4, July 2, Aug. 1, Aug. 27, Sept. 25 and Oct. 24.
Under the Emergency Health Powers Act, a declared public health emergency expires after 30 days unless renewed.
“Despite the hope that is on the horizon, the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over,” Murphy said in a statement issued from his office in Trenton. “We continue to utilize all resources available and will need the ability to do so as we battle this virus through the second wave that has enveloped our nation and our state.”
Executive Order No. 200 extends all Executive Orders issued under the Governor’s authority under the Emergency Health Powers Act. It also extends all actions taken by any Executive Branch departments and agencies in response to the Public Health Emergency presented by the COVID-19 outbreak.
The story the numbers tell
On Oct. 24, there were more than 225,430 positive cases of COVID-19 in New Jersey.
As of Nov. 21, the governor’s office reported there were more than 302,039 positive cases of COVID-19 in New Jersey. That’s an increase of nearly 34 percent, or 76,619 new positive cases in the span of a month. That figure is more than the population of cities such as Passaic, Cherry Hill, Camden or Brick.
The governor’s office also said at least 14,934 of these new cases resulted in a person’s death. These COVID-19 related deaths have occurred in each of the 21 counties in New Jersey.
“The spread of COVID-19 has greatly strained the resources and capabilities of county and municipal governments, including public health agencies provide essential services for containing and mitigating the spread of contagious diseases,” Murphy’s executive order states, in part. “The situation is too large in scope to be handled entirely by the normal county and municipal operating services.