U.S. media reports says President Donald Trump issued a major disaster declaration for Wyoming on Saturday, meaning that there is now such a declaration within all 50 states due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
New York Post says that according to Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere, it is the first time a president has ever declared a major disaster in all 50 states at once.
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon formally sought the declaration on Thursday in a letter to the president. The state had seen more than 200 cases of the coronavirus at that time.
The move comes as confirmed cases of the coronavirus reached at least 519,453 as of Saturday afternoon.
According to CNN, the United States now has more than half a million cases. New York state alone has more cases than any other country. The US also has the most coronavirus-related deaths in the world.
CNN says that according to data from Johns Hopkins University, the United States has recorded at least 22,073 deaths and 556,044 cases so far during the pandemic.
Major Disaster Declaration is generally requested when a disaster exceeds the response capabilities of the state and local governments, and long term recovery assistance is needed. Major Disaster Declarations are intended for only the most severe circumstances where the most help is needed to get the community as close as possible to a pre-disaster state. Incidentally, the majority of disaster response and recovery programs are at the disposal of the state governor following a Major Disaster Declaration.
The declarations reportedly make federal funding available for state and local governments, as well as some nonprofit organizations. They can also help state governments coordinate with federal resources like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Army Corps of Engineers.
Meanwhile, worldwide, confirmed cases have surpassed 1.75 million, and more than 100,000 people have died.
