A government watchdog warns New York is suffering from another outbreak — not of COVID, but emergency orders from Gov. Kathy Hochul.

In its new report, Reinvent Albany charges that the Hochul-controlled orders are rife with opportunities for “waste, fraud and abuse of state funds” amid allegations of pay-to-play schemes with campaign donors.

“The Digital Gadgets COVID test [deal] … That purchase was allowed because the comptroller didn’t get to look at that contract,” Reinvent Albany’s Rachel Fauss said, citing a no-bid, $637 million contract inked by a New Jersey company tied to $300,000 in campaign cash to Hochul.

“And that’s a direct example of a state of emergency wasting taxpayer money,” Fauss added about the contract enabled by one of 10 purported official disasters overseen by Hochul that the good government group detailed in a nine-page report released Tuesday.

Five states of emergency currently exist in the Empire State: to battle gun violence, monkeypox. polio. overcrowding on Rikers Island and shortages of healthcare workers following five other official disasters that previously existed under Hochul.

Dozens of state laws have been suspended in the process, affecting everything from the oversight of state contracts, spending rules, criminal law procedures and building codes among others, according to the report.

“In New York we’ve seen the disastrous downside of emergency declarations and governors who take full advantage of their expanded authority,” Republican Assembly Minority Leader William Barclay (R-Oswego) told The Post Tuesday.

“The need to respond swiftly to a crisis is critical, but when necessary oversight is thrown out government stops functioning as it should.”

Governors need flexibility to deal in real time with infectious diseases, hurricanes and other disasters, but keeping them going for months or years on end push the boundaries of what really qualifies as an emergency situation, gubernatorial critics say.

While some of Hochul’s emergencies have dealt with challenges like flooding on Lake Ontario and flooding in the New York City metro area before expiring, others have lingered on with questionable results beyond political theater, critics say.

A state of emergency, for example, declared by disgraced ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo in June 2021 to battle gun violence is expected to be extended by his successor Hochul before it expires Oct. 18.

The report outlines four recommendations for boosting accountability moving forward while saving taxpayer money in the process.

Hochul could stop sitting on legislation passed months ago that would enable DiNapoli to have oversight over billions in contracts issued each year by SUNY, CUNY and the sprawling state Office of General Services.

State lawmakers could also pass a bill requiring governors to solicit input from the Legislature and other affected government bodies before extending orders while requiring the state Senate and Assembly to sign off on any emergencies that last more than a year.

Taxpayers could also benefit from having access to a user-friendly database of existing orders, according to the report.

Hochul spokesman Avi Small noted that many of the emergencies declared by Hochul had nothing to do with government contract while defending those that did in response to the report.

“Faced with historic and unique emergencies, from hurricanes to gun violence to multiple simultaneous public health crises, Governor Hochul has judiciously used the powers granted to her by the New York State Constitution to protect New Yorkers and save lives,” he said.

Representatives of State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie did not provide comment.

Some Republicans allege that whatever barriers might get erected by state lawmakers could always be circumvented by determined pols in Democratic-dominated Albany where several top officials like Cuomo have resigned in disgrace as recently as a few months ago.

“Andrew Cuomo, Kathy Hochul, and the rest of the corrupt cabal don’t care how many laws are in place, they will find a way to abuse their power – the best way to ensure this doesn’t happen again is to throw them out of office,” state GOP Chair Nick Langworthy, who is running for Congress, said in a statement.